A CHOIR of senior citizens performing a repertoire of songs is living proof you are never too old to try something new.

The Grove Singers range in age from 62 to 80, and their set list includes songs from The Seekers, Bette Midler and Tom Jones.

Some members of the 25-person choir – which formed two years ago – have choral experience, others have none at all.

“Sometimes we hit the wrong note, but that’s all part of it,” says choir member Renate Cvitanovic.

Seventy-three-year-old Renate, who leads the group, was taught to sing as part of a convent education in rural Victoria during the 1950s.

“There are some members in the group who were knocked back from singing in a choir when they were young because they weren’t good enough, but they are now singing with us and doing great,” says Renate.

“You are never too old to try something new.”

The choir is made up of residents from The Grove retirement village in Ngunnawal, some of whom decided to band together and form a singing group to give them something to do.

“We were just a group of people that wanted to get together and sing, but we had no direction because no one knew anything about singing or playing the piano,” says choir member Lynette Ivory, 79.

The choir was fortunate to have the help of Renate, in addition to retired university professor Dr Fay Sudweeks, who hadn’t played the piano in 40 years.

“We finally found Renate and Fay who helped to pull us into line and we are now a reasonably good choir,” Lynette says.

Fay, 79, a former adjunct associate professor at the Australian National University, rediscovered her love for the piano after a four-decade break from playing.

“I started learning piano when I was 11 years old then I got married when I was 19, so that was the end of that,” says Fay.

“I was able to afford a piano when I was 35, so I took it up again and finished my diploma at 38, but I hadn’t played since.

“It’s been really nice to pick it up again.” 

Elly Smith, 73, credits the choir for keeping her in good health and good spirits.

“It’s uplighting and enjoyable and even if you feel down when you sing, it elevates your disposition and makes you feel happier,” Elly says.

Although the choir was set up for the enjoyment of its members and residents of the retirement village, it’s now performing in public and is being enthusiastically received.

“We started introducing songs from musicals like ‘South Pacific’, ‘Oklahoma’, ‘Les Miserables’, ‘The Sound of Music’, and the concerts have gone down really well,” says Renate.

“We have given three concerts at The Grove and even ventured to Isabella Gardens retirement village.

“Our audiences clap and whistle and get very involved.”

The choir, which practices twice a week, has recently performed a Christmas carols concert.

“We have some residents that are not mobile and never leave their villas so we toured The Grove and sang carols in five different spots,” Renate says.

Plans are in the pipeline for a touring concert in March.

“And when covid is finished, we hope to be able to sing in some of the nursing homes,” says Renate.

“Sining is wonderful for people with dementia because most of them can remember old tunes.”