Aging and the Arts

Community Sing Out!

A Community Sing gives anyone who likes to sing, or would like to, an opportunity to do that in a group setting without the pressure of having to stand out. Attendance costs nothing, and people of all ages are welcome. It’s designed to provide an opportunity to raise one's voice with others whom you may not yet know in an informal, friendly, forgiving environment. In the process, we’ll build “community” as more than an aspirational reality.

As group singing asks for presence without preparation, it can be a relaxed way to promote a sense of intergenerational connection and even create some surprising, beautiful spontaneous sounds.

In an effort to promote public education about music as a vehicle for building age-friendly communities, we hope to host these songfests once a month. Sings will occur in various locations around Tucson and will be loosely thematic depending on the season.

Experienced song collector and songmaker, Ted Warmbrand, has consented to be our regular song leader. Ted’s contributions are known internationally. He is proud of his local history as a longtime radio host, concert presenter, community chronicler, and activator. Music has been his tool of choice to bring out the best in us for most of his long life.

This event was organized by University of Arizona Ethnomusicologist and Chair of the Applied Intercultural Arts Research Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (AIAR GIDP), Dr. Jennie Gubner in collaboration with AIAR doctoral student Sydney Streightiff and Ted Warmbrand. Dr. Gubner’s current research focuses on promoting participatory music making traditions as vehicles for building age-friendly, intergenerational communities.

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This event is sponsored by Innovations in Health Aging.

The Innovations in Healthy Aging Initiative at the University of Arizona was designed to connect older adults with UArizona. Learn more about how you can get involved at healthyaging.arizona.edu.