The Brookridge Singers Set the Tone
When Roger Lamb moved into Brookridge in December, he already had a plan. He wanted to start a concert choir.
He’d spent his career as a music minister, with his wife Jennie as the accompanist. At every retirement home they toured, Roger asked if he would be able to start a choir there. It was an inevitability, Jennie said, with him retiring three times but always ending up as a choir director again.
So the Brookridge Singers choir was born, providing a place for residents to learn new skills and express themselves creatively. On a recent Thursday afternoon, the strains of choir music could be heard in the atrium as the group practiced in the auditorium.
Inside, Jennie played piano while Roger directed rehearsal. The group has started rehearsing for their big holiday performance.
They recently had their first public performance singing a few songs at Brookridge’s Memorial Day event. Other residents were surprised at how well they sounded, choir members said after the recent rehearsal. But if they’d heard everything in their first rehearsal, they’d know how far the choir had come.
Many of the singers were rusty – some hadn’t since they’d been in school.
“You have to learn to breathe again,” choir member Sandie Cockerill said. She hadn’t sung in decades and so appreciated that Roger started them on the basics.
Roger is an experienced director and knew how to take the group far. He said he wants a choir committed to excellence, who can proudly perform both at Brookridge and in the community. So he’s been working with the choir with patience and skill.
“He works us hard and makes it fun,” choir member Dean Clifford said. Roger gives them praise and positive feedback, encouraging them to grow.
The Brookridge Singings are eager to perform more. They’ll probably do a few songs for the Veteran’s Day event at Brookridge, but the next full performance will be at Christmas. They sing a mixture of spiritual and secular music, moving beyond a simple chapel choir.
“The music we sing together is beautiful,” choir member Barbara VanAntwerp said. “And Roger pulls it out, I mean, he can make us sing beautiful. He brings the best out of us.”