Aug. 08--HAMBURG -- Inge is unlikely to ever get a solo part in the opera Aida, yet every week she goes to her choir group for rehearsals. The choir has members from over 10 different countries and more than half are aged between 40 and 60.
"I,ve been singing since I was a school child," says the 67-year-old. What does singing mean for her? "It,s relaxing and I can switch off from the routine of daily life."
Whether you are 50 or 70, singing is something that you can do, even as a very elderly person. Experts agree that it helps improve the memory and your sense of hearing.
"If you have to concentrate on vocal tone, you will keep yourself mentally fit, because it keeps the brain active," says Elisabeth Bengtson-Opitz. The 65-year-old has been singing since she was three and spent many years teaching singing at Hamburg,s University for Music and Theatre. Since the 1990s she,s been focusing on the subject of the "ageing voice".
The process of singing a note is a complicated one, and just like other body parts, the vocal cords are subject to the aging process.
"A 55-year-old will have less breath than a person of 25," says Bengtson-Opitz. Elderly singers cannot hold a note for long and have difficulties with high notes. Women,s voices can also become very shrill or "droney". The change is caused by the muscles between the ribs, in the back and stomach area becoming flaccid.
But a good bass voice or a clear soprano are not impossible to achieve for an elderly person. The best thing to prevent your muscles from going limp is to take exercise. Bad notes are best corrected with plenty of training with an experienced choir master.
Claudia Ruebben-Laux is one such person. She,s the deputy head of the Choir Association of the State of North Rhine Westphalia. She,s also the voice coach of the "German Silver Singers", a choir whose members must be at least 66-years-old.
"It,s important to develop a routine. The breaks between practice should be small and you should rehearse new pieces very often," is her advice. Elderly people are less open to learning modern works, in Ruebben-Laux,s experience.
However, much depends on how new songs are brought across to the elderly.
"The best method is to present new works in a cohesive fashion that makes sense. Try describing the composer and then go over the lyrics with the choir group together," says Ruebben-Laux.
That frequently leads to a surprise: "Many seniors discover links with their own biographies."
For the elderly singing can be about a lot more than just music. "It means connecting with others in a group. It clears your head and helps you overcome pain and sadness," says Ruebben-Laux.
That,s a point of view that Bengtson-Opitz shares: "Singing makes people happy."
But many seniors are afraid to give it a go despite the benefits of singing.
"There are many people who think they cannot sing," says Bengtson-Opitz. But that,s a false impression according to her experience. Everyone can learn to sing, "even those who can only hum".
Lack of talent has nothing to do with missing a note; it,s to do with bad hearing. "You should get that checked by a doctor. If a singer cannot hear the high notes any more, their voice will sound bad." A well adjusted hearing aid can easily correct that fault.
Setting aside the physical disadvantages that can hinder an elderly person from singing, they do have one thing going for them: experience.
"That,s especially true when it comes to classical pieces because they have sung them many times already," says Bengtson-Opitz. Singing coach Ruebben-Laux has made similar observations. "Senior singers have experienced a lot in their lives and they can really let it out."
If the choir,s goal is to perform in front of an audience, that can also act as another motivation for a senior. "It,s a chance for them to show what they can do -- especially to the younger people, like kids or grandchildren", says Ruebben-Laux.
There,s little to prevent an older voice from singing, but it should not be allowed to go rusty. A good way of keeping it in shape is to sing a little to yourself every so often. "A person who uses their voice regularly can rely on it into a ripe old age," says Bengston-Opitz.
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