The concert yesterday afternoon was highly successful on so many levels!!
Both choirs sang well, particularly the Glee Club, who were down to 17 members, with one having to leave before the concert as his wife needed him at home. The sound system make it so much better as well, and the feedback from the audience was astounding!! I had people asking if they could join the Glee Club. The members of the Glee Club had already considered that, and they are very certain that it is their choir, for those who live at the Hilda Ross Village, not for outsiders.
I was in Christchurch with a father in ill-health, and then experienced the earthquake for the 24 hours from Tuesday to Wednesday, until I returned to Hamilton. It did not stop, and probably still has not stopped. The concert completely lifted my spirits for that hour and still is doing so, the power of music. Photos and video are on their way.
Singing in retirement complexes generates powerful effects for the participants. My research into those self-reported benefits give strong participant voice, and unique stories which all point to the physical, psychological, and emotional benefits of group singing. Gerontology is a field which is a growth area, where 1 in 4 New Zealand residents will be over 65 by 2045. Market research over the last decade has led to the production of www.singingforseniors.co.nz Dr Julie Jackson-Gough