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.
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Chorales Discussed in Podcast — In the most recent edition of “Fairfax 50+” podcast series, host Jim Person talks with Jeanne Kelly about her work with Encore Chorale, the nation’s largest choral program for older adults. The group has 21 chorales in the DC Metro area, including in Reston. [Soundcloud]
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Reston Singing Groups to Open Registration — Two local singing groups for people over the age of 65 are opening to new members: Encore Reston Chorale, which performs classical choral music, and Encore Rocks Reston, which performs more contemporary and rock-and-roll music. Members do not need prior singing experience or know how to read music. Singers may also be seated during rehearsals and performances, if needed. Weekly rehearsals in Reston are scheduled to begin next month. [Encore Creativity]
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Fairfax County Police Respond to Annandale Shooting — Two women were shot and wounded after a fight outside of a home in Annandale last night. Fairfax County Police rushed to the scene of the crime around 6:30 p.m. yesterday. [NBC Washington]
Seniors who like to sing: Reston is getting a new outpost of a nationally recognized chorale program.
The Encore Chorale, which grew from study on creative aging and an idea from DC’s Levine School of Music about 15 years ago, will start a 14th regional group at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods in September.
Encore Chorale of Reston is for singers 55 and older. It will be under the direction of David Brian Lang, conductor of the Reston Chorale.
There are no auditions for the Encore Chorale of Reston, singers may be seated for rehearsals and performances, and rehearsals are held during daylight hours.
Encore Chorale says it is for evertone: “If you have sung sometime in your life, want to return to singing, or have never sung outside the shower.”
Weekly rehearsals will be held at the RCC Tuesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. starting on Sept. 1. The first two rehearsals, on Sept. 1 and Sept. 8, will be held at an alternate location, the Reston Community Center Lake Anne, due to unavailability at Hunters Woods those weeks.
After 15 weeks of rehearsal, Encore Chorales perform free concerts for friends, family and the community, at large, high profile venues. The highlight of the holiday season for the last seven years has been the Dec. 23 concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which features more than 200 Encore singers on the Millennium Stage.
Registration opens Aug. 1 for Reston residents (Aug. 8 for non-residents). Contact Cheri Danaher, RCC Arts Education Director at 703-390-6175 or [email protected] to register.
Tuition is $160.00 for Reston residents/$240.00 for non-Reston residents.
Photo: David Brian Lang/Courtesy Reston Chorale
