Last week, I had the most adorable couple come in for a singing lesson. Both were in their 70’s and had not sung in over 20 years. They both had good basic instruments that are just a little rusty now but I’m sure will come back easily with a little work.What really impressed me was how incredibly supportive this couple was of each other and how they took careful notes to help remind each other of what we had talked about. What a wonderful date night this singing lesson turned into for them; watching the other person try their best at a new skill, offering words of encouragement and taking away exercises and songs to practice for the rest of the week until the next lesson. What a great bonding experience for them! It made me wish couples my age would take the time to do something like this together, who knows the marriages it could save!
Your voice as an instrument is fully capable of singing at any age so long as you have the muscle strength to support your torso and the ability to maintain good breath control. Yes, the vocal range you enjoyed when you were younger might be somewhat diminished, but with time, effort and determination, much of that range will come back (even if it is now a few tones lower than what you were used to).
Singing is good for you at any age:
• Singing releases endorphins into your system and makes you feel energized and uplifted.
• People who sing are healthier than people who don’t.
• Singing gives the lungs a workout,
• Singing tones your abdominal and inter-costal core muscles
• Singing stimulates circulation
• Singing makes us breathe more deeply than many forms of strenuous exercise, so we take in more oxygen, improve aerobic capacity and experience a release of muscle tension as well.” — Professor Graham Welch, Director of Educational Research, University of Surrey, Roehampton, UK
Encourage the older people you know to get back into singing... they'll live a longer and happier life :)