Adults as Learners - Interview with a Choir Director

2013

1974

Nancy has taught choirs to sing for over three decades.  In her career as a music teacher, she never taught above 9th grade.  In the 80's she became involved directing music in "senior" theater troops and choruses and continues to do so today.

I caught up with Nancy at her home one night and had a nice chat about her experiences as a director of older adults.

 Memory and Cognitive Function

One of the biggest challenges for Nancy is that seniors don't retain the material easily.  She must allow additional time for repetition that she would not necessarily have to for younger age groups.  In choirs, seniors often hold their music instead of memorizing it.  This is not an option for the theater.  Sometimes the director must cut a number if the person can't remember lines or words to a song. 

I can remember once when my father was in The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd and he forgot his words to "Who Can I Turn To?".  The song goes, "Who can I turn to when nobody needs me..." and so on.  Well, on this particular night Dad just couldn't remember past the first few words and sang, "Who can I turn to?  When who can I turn to... who can I turn to, who can I turn to, who can I turn to...?" Nancy, who was the choir director in that show, shouted up from the Orchestra pit, "the music director!... WHEN NOBODY NEEDS ME..." and so on.  It drew laughter from the audience and with the prompt, Dad finished the ballad.  

Health and Physical Limitations

Physical challenges for the senior performers are also challenges for the director.  It is difficult to see through bi/trifocals and hold their music up.  To make up for the deficit, the choristers hold their music binder down like a book - also focusing their eyes downward - which limits their view of the director.  Cues are missed and all hope is lost at keeping a consistent tempo. (Directors focus their gaze Heavenward and say a prayer that everyone gets to the end around the same time!)


Voices change with aging and the key must be transposed lower.  Hearing is not what it was and sometimes consistent pitch is an impossibility.  Nancy says that it is sometimes a crapshoot.  Health episodes (just like bad weather) leave directors wondering if there will be enough tenors (altos, sopranos, basses) for the performance.

Some accommodations Nancy has made over the years to insure a positive experience for all have been: shortening the performance, restricting the dance moves, limiting musical numbers, and varying between full chorus and solos so that folks can rest during the performance.  She also makes rehearsal time in the early afternoon to allow for morning doctor's appointments, and daylight driving hours.

Psycho-social 

Seniors want to do it all and feel bad if they can't fulfill a commitment.   When I interviewed Audrey and my mother (who is pictured above in the green pants) they talked about how their mind says "yes" but their bodies say "no". 

Having a goal of a performance in the near future is key.  If the choir or theater troop meet once a week without any show scheduled, members would more than likely drop out.  Why?  Because seniors want to give back to others and will do anything to keep their promise  to friends, family, or older seniors.  They need to have something to look forward to and they talk about it often.  They are proud to be in the show.  Seniors may lose interest or become uncertain of their own physical ability down the road without a goal close at hand.  Ultimately, shorter goals work best with this age group.  Considerations made by directors like Nancy help keep learning outcomes and goals attainable for all.  

When asked what three things she would like the readers of this blog to know, Nancy said:

1.  Be PATIENT.  This goes both ways - but you are in charge of your own actions.  

2.  Be TOLERANT and FLEXIBLE.  You must be understanding adjust your plan when the need arises.  It's wise to not only have a plan B, you should have a C, D, and E.

3.  Keep in mind that these people are VOLUNTEERS.  YOU are the one being paid.  The experience should be a fulfilling one for both you and them.
(N. Bond, personal communication, January 13, 2014).