Making Music: New Community Chorus Meet-Up Tonight

Glendale Road's Kathy Ryan can remember "only very good memories" from her time singing in a church choir.

"I loved the harmonies, how people can come together to make such beautiful music," said Ryan, an nurse at an assisted-living setting and mom of five with only a sophomore remaining at Belmont High School.

Recently, she experienced the same joy participating in the Parent/Teacher Chorus at the Chenery Middle School. Led by Winn Brook/Chenery Choral Director Christine Servilio, the ensemble provided an additional avenue for those adults with kids in music programs to express themselves.

For those six weeks of the program, "we had so much fun," said Ryan.

So, she asked, why not keep this going for the entire year?

When told that the school budget would not support a longer tenure, Ryan wondered if there would be enough interest from residents for a group of people who just wanted to sing.

Over the past few months and at last month's Meet Belmont, Ryan has seen her informal group grow to about 50 names on an email list.

With a goal to experience the joy of creating a "beautiful noise" in Belmont, Ryan is seeking fellow singers who share her love of singing to meet on forming a community chorus.

The meeting is tonight, Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Belmont High School chorus room. All abilities and ages, from 12 up, welcomed.

For more information, email the group here.

Saying the effort has "been a bit daunting," Ryan "doesn't know where this is going."

Yet she's hoping that residents will come out to experience the therapeutic nature of song. As a nurse who works with patients with severe dementia, she noticed that while an individual she's nursing may have forgotten much of their lives, almost all remember a favorite song, most from decades ago.

"That shows me that music is healing and good," said Ryan.