WASHINGTON, Nov. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encore Creativity for Older Adults announced at its Annual Celebration Dinner on October 22, 2023 that the organization received a gift pledge of $1M to expand its Arts for Life programs. The gift, to be donated over the course of several years by Encore singer Anthony Tambasco, will be dedicated to enhancing the organization’s initiatives in brain health programs through its Arts for Life programming. Encore’s Arts for Life programs recognize the link between music and memory and connect those with cognitive change and their care partners through shared musical experiences.
“I have always enjoyed singing, so I am glad that I can continue it with Encore Creativity in my senior years,” said Tambasco, Encore singer and Board President. “I want to help provide for future singers, especially those facing cognitive issues. Encore's Arts for Life programs stimulate brain health through music. I truly hope that my gift will not only help sustain a director’s position for Arts for Life, but also encourage others to be generous in their support.”
The non-profit Encore Creativity, now in its 17th year, was founded after the results of an NIH and NEA-funded study that proved the health benefits of choral singing for older adults, particularly in areas of social connection, cognition, and brain health.
Research from the Global Council on Brain Health and AARP has shown that memory and music are deeply linked. Initiatives in Encore’s brain health research programs have inspired the creation of Sentimental Journey Singers, choirs for those with early- to mid-stage cognitive change, and Melody Makers, musical experience programs for those with mid- to moderate-stage cognitive change.
“We see, week in and week out, the power of music and memory in rehearsals,” said Joshua Vickery, Chief Executive Officer of Encore Creativity. “Those with dementia sing every word from the heart. We are committed to bringing these programs to as many older adults as possible, without bearing the cost on families experiencing dementia. This pledge will bring us closer to our goal.”
New Sentimental Journey Singers programs, free to all participants and care partners with the help of philanthropic donations, are set to begin in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area next fall, with plans to establish ensembles in North Carolina, New York, and the Midwest.
About Encore Creativity for Older Adults
Founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly during a National Institutes of Health-funded study to address the mental and physical health benefits of singing for older adults, Encore Creativity for Older Adults now hosts chorales nationwide with over 1,500 singers, plus its annual summer camp, winter retreat and travel abroad programs. Encore’s mission is to create meaningful arts experiences supporting lifelong learning, wellness, and fun for all older adults. Encore seeks to create a world where all older adults have a place in the arts.
