In Wednesday’s (1/27) San Francisco Classical Voice, Jeff Kaliss writes about a January 27 concert at San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre that featured the combined talent of seven senior choirs from across San Francisco. The concert resulted from an ongoing study about the effects of choir singing on older adults, being conducted by Julene Johnson, “a cognitive neuroscientist who … also possesses a degree in flute performance… In 2012, Johnson was given a grant by the National Institute on Aging for … a five-year research project, for which the funding ends a year from now.” Says Johnson, “We collaborated with 12 different Administration on Aging-supported senior centers to start 12 new choirs.… We looked at three functions … physical function … cognitive health … and the psycho-social aspects.” According to 66-year-old chorister Estela Moreno, one of the 390 participants involved in the study, “‘People that have asthma reported that their asthma was much better.… They didn’t feel depressed anymore.… Moreno also has expanded her musical experience into regular attendance at the San Francisco Symphony, sometimes accompanied by fellow choristers.”
Posted February 1, 2016
