Lauren Saeger holds a doctorate in vocal jazz studies and has taught music in a number of university settings. She will lead an eight-week Choral Connections program at Steele Memorial Library. The free program begins Sept. 18, 4:00-5:30 p.m., and registration is required at www.wcpl.org. (Lauren Saeger|Courtesy photo)
If you’re 55 or older, regardless of whether you classify your singing ability as “can’t carry a tune in a bucket” or, alternately, “vocal virtuoso” (or more likely, somewhere in between), there’s a place for you in the upcoming, eight-week Choral Connections program being offered at Steele Memorial Library.
It starts soon — Sept. 18 — and runs through Nov. 6, meeting on Mondays, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Registration at www.wcpl.org is required.
Choral Connections is the first of five eight-week, arts-related programs to be offered for the 55 and over set, under the Wayne County Public Library’s Creative Aging umbrella, according to project manager Christine Grant. The other four are: cellphone photography, painting, flower arranging, and memoir writing. Each will be led by an expert in his or her field. All programs are free.
Choral Connections will be led by Dr. Lauren Saeger, branch manager at Steele Memorial Library. In addition to having earned a doctorate in vocal jazz studies, Saeger has extensive teaching experience, having taught various music courses and directed choirs at several universities over the years.
According to Grant, participants in Choral Connections can expect to learn how to work on producing a lovely sound, breath control, beginning music reading, and singing as a group.
For anyone falling into the “can’t carry a tune in a bucket” category, Saeger offers this assurance: “I’ve taught so many different people, and everybody’s always improved.”
She plans to employ a variety of song styles in her teaching. Some songs, though old, are likely to be new to many students — an example is a traditional Welsh folk song, “The Ash Grove.” But there will also be more familiar tunes, like “This Land is Your Land,” which Saeger says is good for learning vocal technique.
Saeger envisions the program as part singing class/ part choir, saying, “We’re going to see where it goes.
“We just want to have fun and make connections,” she notes. But, she also ensures that it’s a serious endeavor. “It’s an eight-week commitment. We’re not just hanging out. We are trying to get in-depth and learn about music and singing.”
While registration is online (at the address listed above), anyone with questions is encouraged to call Christine Grant at 919-690-5565.
