“Folks Who Love to Sing”: Introducing a New Chorus at St. John’s Home
It is a sure bet that visitors of St. John’s Home this holiday season will hear familiar tunes ringing through hallways, common areas, and individual rooms. Adding to the normal chorus of carols at this time of year is a newly formed group of resident-singers.
More importantly, this small but growing ensemble offers residents a chance to share their own individual passions for music all throughout the year. While this collective voice unique to St. John’s Home happens to be getting louder as the holidays arrive this year, it is poised to reach its true crescendo in 2025.
A New St. John’s Home Chorus Takes Shape
Karen Schillinger has been an occupational therapist at St. John’s Home for several years. “From time to time over the years I have come across residents who had a background in music or just loved to sing,” says Schillinger, who at one point majored in voice and music education in college before changing her focus to occupational therapy. “So when an opportunity came up to funnel that passion into an organized group, I started a more formal query when I interacted with residents in therapy.”
What she found over time was that there was an appetite for a regularly scheduled singing group to bring together those residents passionate about music from across the St. John’s community. As a result, this latest version of a chorus at St. John’s Home began practicing in August.
“When we started rehearsing, a small number of those participants were also in occupational therapy,” says Schillinger, with rehearsals even counting as therapy sessions in some cases. “That part has since concluded for most of them, but the chorus was something I hoped could continue simply as an extracurricular adventure.” The chorus is now a combination of long-term care and rehabilitation residents with all levels of singers represented.
The Power (and Many Benefits) of Music
Music has always been a great connector and the power of music and its many benefits have been well documented in research studies specific to older adults and their caregivers. Since Schillinger formed the group just a few short months ago, she has seen those benefits on display in a number of ways. “I see folks who love to sing—people working together to create something,” she says. “On the cognitive side, music has a special ability to access parts of the brain linked to memory.”
“Several of our members were simply ‘on the scene’ when we were practicing and wanted to join the ranks,” says Schillinger. She also notes that the makeup of the group includes those who actively participate in programming on their floors and throughout the St. John’s Home community as well as “others who keep more to themselves but chose to participate because it gave them an outlet for self-expression.”
For Schillinger and the other staff members she has partnered with from various disciplines around St. John’s Home—including therapeutic recreation and volunteer services—some of what they have seen and heard outside of chorus rehearsal have been moments that truly stand out. “One chorister told me she put herself to sleep one night singing the songs from that day’s rehearsal,” says Schillinger. She proudly references another instance when she was placing reminder notes on participant’s doors the day before rehearsal and hearing one chorus member inside her room practicing. These examples show the lasting impact this new activity can have for those who have decided to join in on the fun.
The Chorus Gets a Name and a Debut Performance
The new chorus—often numbering 15 residents or more—meets to rehearse every other Monday afternoon. Its most recent gathering served as a dress rehearsal for the group’s first performance the following day at one of the neighborhood holiday parties.
As Schillinger prepped the chorus for its upcoming debut, a resident-singer and featured soloist—Marilyn—spoke up and asked the group “what are we going to call ourselves?” After a few moments of silence Marilyn said “How about the St. John’s Singers?” Her suggestion was met with resounding agreement amongst the group.
On December 17, 2024, the St. John’s Singers performed eight numbers for fellow residents, staff, and family members in the Community Center to kick off that day’s holiday party. When Schillinger started the chorus, she hoped the initiative would give participants the chance to embrace working as a group towards a common goal while reinforcing life lessons like courage and confidence.
As members belted out holiday tunes and other classic standards like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Schillinger saw those intended benefits on full display, while also conducting the group and accompanying them on guitar. Not every gathering will be a full-blown performance like this one, but the St. John’s Singers showed everyone within earshot just how far they have come in a short period of time.
“I think music is a conversation-starter, a transporter (to fond memories), and a just a fun way to share an hour,” Schillinger explains. The arrival of the St. John’s Singers on the music scene at St. John’s Home ensures that the conversation will continue to have a consistent melody behind it.
