Reston Encore choral group opens registration for fall 2021

The Encore Chorale of Reston will be back in person this fall after shifting to a virtual environment last year.

A branch of Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the largest choral organization for adults over 55 in the U.S., the community singing group announced last week that it has now opened registration for the fall semester, which will begin on Sept. 7 and conclude with a free public concert in December.

“We are thrilled to return to in-person singing and live performances in Reston, ” said Jeanne Kelly, Encore Creativity’s founder and artistic director. “Our singers not only learn about the craft of singing and improve their technique, but they can now enjoy socializing and bonding with a new community of friends, which is so important.”

The Encore Chorale of Reston meets on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Heritage Fellowship Church (2501 Fox Mill Road). It is directed by David Lang, who has led the group since it formed in 2015 and also serves as director of the Reston Chorale.

No audition is necessary, as Encore’s mission is to “provide an excellent and accessible artistic environment for older adults, regardless of experience or ability,” according to the Encore website.

There will also still be online rehearsals and classes through Encore University, which was founded in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic, we reinvented Encore so we could continue to engage and enrich older adults during an unprecedented time for choral singing,” Kelly said. “Our virtual Encore University drew singers from 28 states who enjoyed a creative assortment of classes, virtual concerts and choral singing in a totally new way.”

Encore University will offer seven classes this fall, starting on Sept. 7:

• Chorale Sings/Rehearsals
• ROCKS Sings/Rehearsals
• Vocal Technique
• A History of Jazz
• Great Operatic Tenors
• Music & Your Brain
• #1 Hits of the 60s & 70s

Singers can choose to attend exclusively in-person rehearsals, only online rehearsals and classes, or a hybrid of in-person rehearsals and online classes.

Interested participants ages 55 and older can register through the Encore Creativity website or by calling 301-261-5747.