Chorale hits high note with senior singers

Members of the Encore Chorale Sussex County Chapter began its weekly Wednesday rehearsal at the Lewes Public Library with a familiar tune, “Happy Birthday.”

Unlike most family gatherings or office parties, this group of 55-plus singers was right on key. They were celebrating Louise Foster, their beloved conductor.

The former head of the music department at Cape Henlopen High School has turned a group of 61 singers into a well-oiled chorale in just over a year.

“I just love to make it as perfect as I can. I’ve been doing it for so long, I seem to have that skill set. I don’t know why,” Foster said.

The Sussex County group is part of Encore Creativity for Older Adults, a nonprofit founded by Jeanne Kelly 17 years ago in Washington, D.C. Encore now has more than 30 chorales from coast to coast.

Foster is being honored with the Jeanne Kelly Artistic Award at a ceremony in November.

“It was a complete surprise to me. I thought everybody did what I did,” Foster said.

Kelly studied the effect of music on brain health. Research shows that singing might stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The chorales give seniors camaraderie and, often, a way to overcome personal loss. That is the case with Alvin Smith.

He has a master’s in music from Catholic University and a long resumé of performing in churches and venues in Maryland and Washington, D.C., as a singer and musician. Smith recently joined the group after his wife died.

“I spent her last days with her and not performing. I hope I can bring something to this group as a tenor because I really enjoy singing,” Smith said.

Marjorie Lynch used to drive to the Smithsonian, then to Annapolis, Md., every Monday to sing with Encore chorales.

Lynch, who has a background in ballet and musical theater, said she was reluctant to join the Sussex County group, until she met Foster.

“I said, ‘I’ll drive back to Annapolis if I don’t like her,’ but she is a gem – the most wonderful director. She is just a joy to work with,” Lynch said.

Lynch said music is helping her deal with the loss of her husband.

“Music brings your soul up. It’s a joy to sing with this group,” Lynch said.

All of the local chorales rehearse the same songs at the same time, making it easy for members to pop in with other groups, out of town.

Marianne Reardon said she is happy to be reliving her younger days in church choirs and glee clubs.

“After a career on Wall Street and teaching, it’s great to get back into this,” Reardon said. “I got to do a solo in the spring, ‘Don’t get around much anymore.’”

Reardon is also a big fan of Foster. “She has a great personality and brings humor to it,” Reardon said.

Encore Sussex County Chorale performs two concerts a year, one in the spring and a holiday show at Epworth United Methodist Church near Rehoboth Beach.

They also performed a rock show in the summer, which included Elton John and the Beatles.

The national Encore organization invites 300 singers from local chorales to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., ever year. Nine members from Sussex County had the honor last December.

Warren Campbell, chorale coordinator, started doing the leg work to form the group in 2022.

“It was a matter of meeting with social and activities directors from local communities, inviting interesting people to go to the meetings and doing a presentation,” Campbell said. “It was a small group when we started, but it grew through word of mouth.”

Foster said she appreciated the birthday serenade and flowers. She said Encore brings her much more, since her husband died.

“It was a saving grace to put my mind on something else. This has been godsend to me,” Foster said.

To learn more go to encorecreativity.org.