The Lansdowne Park Residents’ Choir sang a mix of folk and ANZAC songs. PHOTOS/EMILY IRELAND
Emily Ireland
It was a full house at The Landing at Lansdowne Park on Monday as the aged care facility’s resident choir belted out some classic tunes.
The Lansdowne Park Residents’ Choir have been singing together for about a year with the help of choir pianist and administrator Christine Wratt and choir director Deborah Percy.
Christine is Lansdowne Park’s diversional therapist and said she had a vision five years ago when she started working there about a residents’ choir – “because I know music, especially singing, is very good for the brain”.
“Sometimes we have to wait for the right timing, and the beginning of last year, 2018, was the right time and our village manager Karen Scott gave me the green light.”
The concert, which kicked off at 2pm began with renditions of music from The Seekers, including Georgy Girl, and The Carnival is Over.
During the intermission, young Masterton musicians Jerome Lopa, 16, and his sister Lynnal, 10, sang hits from Shania Twain and Beyonce.
The residents’ choir came back to perform ANZAC songs like Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer and closed with We’ll Meet Again – members of the crowd joined in with this one.
Sitting in the crowd was Tristan Saunders, the general manager of marketing and sales for Arvida Group which runs the facility.
He drove from Waikanae to Palmerston North that morning, and back to Masterton to be there for the concert.
“What a wonderful sound and you look darned smart too in the uniforms,” he said.
“Music moves you – it doesn’t matter if you are young, old, or middle aged.”
