Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Rockstars are Ageless

"Out of the way son, and give me that guitar…”

Thursday, October 22
5:30-8:00 pm
Philadelphia Senior Center

Join Generation Appreciation Philadelphia for a screening of the award-winning documentary Young@Heart, a film about an elder vocal group from Northampton, Massachusetts that has earned an international reputation for their unique interpretations of songs by Sonic Youth, The Ramones, and The Clash.

Check out the documentary trailer (persevere through the brief commercial and enjoy a wonderfully unique experience).

The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Meaghan Brown, President of the Creative Arts and Aging Network, on the importance of engaging older adults in intergenerational arts programming though out the city. Audience members will be encouraged to capitalize on the energy and enthusiasm of older Philadelphians, an essential part of forging an Age-friendly Philadelphia.

RSVP by Thursday, October 8th to
Kate Clark at
kclark@pcaphl.org or 215-765-9000 x5072
The Chorus. This isn’t some teenage garage band attacking the classic punk rock songbook — the Young@Heart Chorus is comprised of 22 senior citizens whose average age is 80, and under director Bob Cilman they’ve gained a degree of fame for their enthusiastic a cappella renditions of well-known Rock & Roll tunes.

Filmmaker Stephen Walker spent several weeks with the members of the Young@Heart Chorus as they rehearsed for their annual concert in Northampton, and the documentary offers a look at their rigorous rehearsal process, the background of several members, and their efforts to stay active and think positive, even as their friends succumb to old age. Produced for British television, Young @ Heart was screened in competition at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival.

Young@Heart will be performing in NYC at St. Ann’s Warehouse from April 20-May 2, 2010.

Meaghan Brown is the President of the Creative Arts and Aging Network, and is the Director of Adult Day Care Services for Mid County Senior Services in Broomall. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s University with a Masters Degree in Gerontology, Meaghan is committed to providing opportunities for adults of all ages to participate in arts and cultural programs in their community. Prior to her work in the Philadelphia region, Meaghan created an accessibility program for the National Gallery of Art and spent several years working with low-income older adults in Tucson, Arizona. Meaghan is a Generation Appreciation Philadelphia Steering Committee member.

Philadelphia Senior Center is located at 509 S Broad St, between Lombard and South Streets. Founded in 1949, Philadelphia Senior Center has been serving the region’s older adults for over half a century. The Center is the largest in Pennsylvania and the third oldest in the country. Over 8,000 senior citizens are served annually: those who come into the Center and those who are homebound.

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Thanks! Mary Catherine Dabrowski