Meet Your New Young@Heart Development Director!

I'm Heather Caisse-Roberts, the new Development Director of Young@Heart. It's an honor to join this organization, and I'm excited to contribute to its continued success. From the moment I walked into a Young@Heart rehearsal, I felt the unique and genuine connection that defines this group. Witnessing the talent, humor, and passion of our chorus members, I immediately knew I’d found something special. While I may never grace the stage as a lead singer (trust me, you don't want to hear my attempts!), I'm already looking forward to 2058 when I hope to join Y@H as a "member in waiting." Until then, I'm committed to channeling my passion for development into supporting this incredible group.

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working in higher education at American International College in Springfield, where I saw firsthand how learning transforms lives.​ My time at New England Public Media taught me the power of storytelling and community engagement. Most recently, my role with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra deepened my appreciation for the performing arts and their impact on our community. I've also been fortunate enough to work and live in Europe, an experience that reinforced what Young@Heart demonstrates so beautifully – music truly is a universal language.

I am bringing these experiences to Y@H to develop a long-term sustainability plan ensuring we can always allow people to grow old, without growing boring. But I'll be honest with you – we're facing challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, while difficult for everyone, surprisingly boosted our funding through government monies and special grants, and allowed us to reach new audiences through virtual performances. However, that funding has since been depleted with no chance of renewal, leaving us with gaps to fill. This week we are announcing new ways you can support Young@Heart. This is crucial because, like many arts organizations, we can't survive on ticket sales alone. While we've had amazing opportunities that have helped fund our organization, like a Super Bowl commercial and a Fox Searchlight Documentary, we can't count on these high-profile events to keep us going day-to-day. 

What we can count on is you – our dedicated supporters who understand the magic that happens when we get on stage. The reality is that being a non-profit organization is hard and requires funding from more than just ticket sales and big opportunities. The day-to-day operations and the heart of what we do require consistent and dedicated support. Your ongoing commitment is what keeps the music playing and the connections growing between our members, our audiences, and our mission. I am eager to work alongside our passionate team, dedicated band, the coolest chorus around, and you, our invaluable supporters, to ensure that Young@Heart continues to create musical experiences for years to come.

Stay tuned for our upcoming announcement, more consistent communications about how you can help Y@H play on, and countless thanks for your continued support of Y@H.

With gratitude and anticipation for the journey ahead,

Heather Caisse-Roberts 

Development Director 

Young@Heart 

Email Me!

In Memory of Jack Schnepp

Jack Schnepp in Road 2 Nowhere, 2005, directed by No Theater, photo by Tina Barney

It’s with such intense sadness that I write that one of our longest performing members, Jack Schnepp, passed away this week at the age of 94. Jack first came to the chorus in the year 2000 and immediately set out to London and Wales with the group to perform in Road 2 Heaven directed by No Theater, the first show we went on tour with internationally.

Over the years Jack became a beloved member of the group who would often floor us with his wry sense of humor. Everyone thought of Jack as a gentleman. I know that sounds old-fashioned, but that is who Jack was. He was such a refreshing throwback. He also loved musical challenges. He sang the most beautiful versions of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” and the Flaming Lips song “All We Have Is Now”. During the pandemic he and his partner Joyce Dearman starred in an excellent music video of Iggy Pop’s song “Tonight”.

Jack performs John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" at our 21st Anniversary Show, 2003

In his final live performance with the chorus at our 40th Anniversary show in 2022 he sang Coldplay’s "Fix You” which we turned into a duet with Fred Knittle, who sang the iconic version of the song in the film “Young@Heart”. Fortunately we are able to provide links to videos of all these performances. You will see what an amazing singer and presence he was.

Many Y@H members think of the group as family. If that is the case, Jack would have definitely been the dad. Truth is Jack was the dad to a very close-knit family that included six children. We have had the opportunity to meet many of his offspring and even worked with his sons Bob and Thomas on creating the “Tonight” music video during the pandemic. We thank all of them for their support of Jack's work with the group and offer our deepest condolences. Jack Schnepp was so special.

Bob Cilman, Executive Director

Young@Heart

Jack performs Fix You at our 40th Anniversary Show, November 2022

Fred Knittle was posthumously added in post-production to create this duet.

In Memory of Justa “Ana” Garcia

Justa “Ana” Garcia, a beloved member of the Young@Heart, passed away on February 1, 2024. Ana joined the group in the middle of the pandemic in June 2021. She had an auspicious debut at her first rehearsal with the group where she sang the classic Puerto Rican song "Lamento Borincano" and blew everyone away – she then made her way to the stage with us in the spring of 2022. 

Ana was the first person to ever join the group already in her 90’s. Everything about Ana was a treat. She had a fabulous voice, a great sense of humor and beautiful spirit. She was loved by all in the 2.5-year period she was a member of the group. One of our fondest memories of Ana was during a rehearsal where we asked everyone to basically sing us their life. The band played a traditional blues to Paul Butterfield’s “Born in Chicago” and the singers would sing us their life story. Most people gave a short 30-second rendition – Ana, on the other hand, had a lot to say. She gave us a pretty thorough run down of her 93 years while having both the band and chorus in stitches.

Ana backstage at "Twist & Crawl", November 2023, photo by Julian Parker-Burns

Although our time with Ana was too short it was amazing how much she packed into those two years, with four performances at the Academy of Music, shows at Green River Festival, The Big E, Mill Pond Festival, the South Hadley Festival, The Florence Porch Series and a touring gig at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford. Ana came to our rehearsals up until only a few weeks ago, and at her last show with the group in November she made a powerful speech to the audience (in both English and Spanish) about music & love being the key to happiness. 

We are dedicating our February 25th show at Bombyx to Ana. She was the real deal. Our deepest condolences to her loving and supportive family and we thank them for allowing us to spend some very quality time with their beloved Ana.

Ana photographed by chorus member Gene Page, December 2023.

HAPPY 101ST BIRTHDAY TO DORA MORROW!

Dora Morrow with Helen Boston (93) and Gloria Parker (94). 288 years of life experience between the three of them!

The one and only Dora Morrow turned 101 recently. She attended a Y@H rehearsal and we celebrated with some cake and singing. Here is a video to mark the occasion. Happy Birthday Dora!!

The fourth child of a family of thirteen, Dora was born in 1922, in Hennings, TN. She is widowed and the mother of fifteen children, eight sons and seven daughters, grandmother of twenty-three grandchildren, and mother-in-law of Y@H’s long-time drummer, Billy Arnold. A 56-year resident of South Bend, IN, Dora currently resides in Holyoke, MA. She enjoys traveling, singing, flower gardening, and arts and crafts.

Dora joined Young@Heart in 2002 and has wowed audiences on dozens of tours and hundreds of shows including Melbourne, Australia, Manchester, England, Montreal, and Singapore to name a few. One of the all-time legendary members of the group, fans also know her from memorable appearances in the Fox Searchlight film Young@Heart, on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Ellen DeGeneres show.

YOUNG@HEART APPEARS ON WGGB TV!

Dave Madsen from WGGB Channel 40 TV interviewed Bob Cilman and Julia van IJken for his news show. Dave did a particularly good job of asking very good questions. Here's a link to view the segment.

YOUNG@HEART WINS NEW ENGLAND EMMY AWARD!

Northampton Open Media – in collaboration with Young@Heart – won a New England Emmy Award for the film of our 40th Anniversary Concert. It was a bit of a David vs. Goliath story!

Submitted in the "Special Event Coverage" category, the video production of our 40th Anniversary Show received top honors, beating the likes of multi-million dollar news outlets such as NBC 10 Boston and WCVB.

Produced in collaboration with Northampton Open Media and the Northampton High School, the show was filmed at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, MA in November 2022. Assisting with the production was a volunteer crew including several students from Northampton High School. Awards were given to Jeromie Whalen (director), Al Williams (producer) and our very own Julia van IJken, who edited the concert film. 

Young@Heart also partnered with WNET and public media stations across New York State to air the film on all PBS stations in the state throughout the month of May. Viewers enjoyed Young@Heart’s 40th Anniversary Show, a 60-minute special, and Young@Heart: Strong in Song, a half-hour special, both featuring some of our oldest chorus members. Watch the show here!

40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT MOVED TO NOVEMBER 20TH

Dear Young@Heart fans,

Young@Heart needs to reschedule the date of our 40th Anniversary show from October 29th to Sunday, November 20th at 3pm. I know a number of you have bought tickets for the October 29th show and those will be honored for this show or you can receive a refund if you cannot attend on the new date.

I sincerely apologize for the date change. I’ve been recovering from a significant medical issue since the end of July. I was able to make my first rehearsal this past Thursday. It is clear that the 40th Anniversary special performance we want to put on will need the extra time and be a much better show if we move it to November. I hope you understand the need for this change and please know we plan on creating something very special for our 40th.

To purchase tickets, click here. If you can’t make the new date and you’ve already purchased tickets, once again, we sincerely apologize. Please contact the Academy of Music for ticket refunds by calling (413) 584-9032 x105‬ or emailing boxoffice@aomtheatre.com.

We will also be adjusting plans for our 40th Anniversary Documentary and have had to postpone its release to a future date sometime in 2023. We will keep you updated on the project.

Thank you so much for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Bob Cilman

In Honor of Andy Walsh (1928-2020)

Young@Heart mourns the loss of Andy Walsh who died peacefully in his home on Sunday, November 29th, at the age of 92.

Andy came to the group in 2009 suggesting he might play a little violin which is what he played in the Quincy Symphony Orchestra for 27 years. It didn’t take us very long to discover that Andy was one of the most naturally gifted lead singer/performers to ever join the group. He loved all the challenges we would throw his way and always wildly surpassed our expectations.

Audiences enthusiastically received his unique interpretations of Screamin' Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You”, “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones, "Let’s Go Crazy" by Prince, "Dirty Water" by The Standells, and so many others. Even in his last weeks Andy was working on another song for our new show.

In 2018 when we toured Holland and Belgium we knew we wouldn’t be able to bring Andy. We filmed him at our local public access station doing the song “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. Amazingly Andy did it perfectly in a single take. Projected on to the big screen, he stole the show on that European tour. He was magical.

Beyond his artistic ability, Andy had a charm and magnetism that drew all of us to him. He was simply one of a kind and the chorus will be guided for years to come by his unflinching humanity that shined through in all of his performances.

His wife of 67 years, Patricia died this past January. We extend our deepest condolences to his children and their families and thank them all for allowing us to share some remarkable time with Andy.

Here is a compilation of some of Andy's greatest performances, along with a recent interview, which aired in our most recent October 3rd virtual concert.

MISS YOU: A VIRTUAL BENEFIT CONCERT & ALBUM RELEASE CELEBRATION

Dear Friends,

For years, Young@Heart has counted on the generosity of our fans. Though we try not to ask too often, we are coming to you now because we find ourselves at a crossroads. Our income and financial security have taken a serious hit from the pandemic. The cancellation of both annual benefit concerts has led to a loss close to $100,000. 

After the initial shock, we learned how to navigate this new world through Zoom…and we are making some of our best work ever. On Oct 2 we will release MISS YOU, our first album in over 8 years. The next day, Oct 3, we will celebrate its release with a live virtual benefit show that will be every bit as compelling as seeing us in person. And you won’t even have to come to Northampton, Massachusetts to attend! 

Watch the MISS YOU trailer featuring Young@Heart fan David Byrne!

This will be the first time our fans around the globe can enjoy a Young@Heart performance together. We don’t want to leave anyone out, so we have created a variety of ticket levels with different perks, including free tickets. Please know that if you can afford to buy a ticket, donate or bid on an auction item, you will help sustain our work.

REGISTER FOR 'MISS YOU' NOW!

Over the next 5 weeks, you’ll receive updates about MISS YOU, our new album and virtual benefit concert. You’ll learn more about our online auction, special celebrity appearances, world premiere music videos, and much more. In the meantime, we appreciate anything you can do to keep Young@Heart thriving for another 38 years.

With all our love,

Bob Cilman on behalf of Young@Heart

Young@Heart Equity Statement

Young@Heart has been discussing the issue of ongoing systemic racism brought to light by the murder of George Floyd. Here is our response: 

Enough is enough. This time has to be different. We applaud our “grandchildren” taking to the streets to make this an irreversible moment for change. We support and join you in this sincere struggle to make meaningful lasting change in our country.

For our first 20 years, Young@Heart was all white, however we made a conscious effort to collaborate with groups of color. And we still do. In 2002 we decided it was not enough to simply collaborate with people of color and we needed to become a more racially diverse organization with greater equity.

Currently, people of color make up 25% of our singers, band, staff, and board. To us, that’s still not enough. This summer, we will identify the social, economic and geographic barriers to greater equity in our organization and come up with a very specific action plan to increase our diversity substantially in the coming years. We look forward to sharing our progress and holding ourselves accountable to this promise. 

We’ve been singing “A Change Is Gonna Come” for years. That time is now. 

New Quarantine Video with Chicago Children's Choir!

We're proud to release our new quarantine video, featuring the Young@Heart Chorus with members of Chicago Children’s Choir (CCC) and the Young@Heart Band. Young@Heart performed with CCC in May 2019 at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, MA as part of our Mash-Ups concert series. We recently reconnected virtually to sing together and make this quarantine video that reflects our live performance as well as our digital collaboration.

Our choirs are both in areas deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: Massachusetts and the south side of Chicago. For us to get together in such a positive and joyful way was an incredible experience, beyond just the artistic moment we created together.

We dedicate this video to all the essential workers who risk their lives to ensure that our most vulnerable stay safe.

With it, we honor the memories of our recently passed beloved chorus members Pat Cady and Jan St. Laurence…and Sam Cooke. Audio recorded and mixed by Dan Richardson; video by Boundless Video Productions.

More on Young@Heart

Website | Facebook | YouTube | Donate

More on Chicago Children's Choir

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Donate

Join Our Livestream Rehearsals Every Monday

We have received hundreds of emails over the years from fans who've asked us if there was a chorus like Young@Heart in their town. Now, there can be - virtually!

We've started a weekly online rehearsal where YOU can join us in song from anywhere in the world. Simply click this link to watch on Facebook or click here to watch on YouTube every Monday from 10:15am until noon EST.

We will be posting the lyrics for each song we sing in the comments of the Livestream so you can follow along and sing each song, with the lead vocalist from Young@Heart leading the way.

During this time of global instability, it's wonderful to have a community-centered creative activity like singing to bring us together and boost morale. We hope you'll join us. And if you do, please let us know what you thought of the experience.

In Honor of Janice St. Laurence (1928-2020)

The Young@Heart mourns the loss of Janice St. Laurence, who passed away Sunday, April 19th of natural causes. Janice came to Young@Heart in 2000 and performed with us until 2013. She was one of the purest musicians that we’ve ever seen in the group. Her rendition of Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” was enthusiastically received by audiences from Japan to Ireland, Colorado to Montreal, and the Newport Folk Festival, just to name a few.

WATCH Janice St. Laurence sings “Somebody to Love” recorded live in 2003 at the Young@Heart's 21st Anniversary show at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton.

At one of her last performances she sang the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple” at John M. Greene Hall in Northampton. Struggling for the words at the beginning of the song she became stronger and stronger throughout and by the end the audience was on their feet for one of the longest sustained ovations we’ve ever seen for a Y@H performance.

Listen to her performance of “Somebody to Love” from our Mostly Live album here.

She studied both classical and modern music including theory and was an accomplished pianist developing a really great stride piano style. She played for tap and ballroom dance classes starting at age 12 and accompanied choral groups and played trombone and Irish whistle in her high school band. In 1964, she accepted a position as an accompanist at Smith College where she also composed music for dance. She and her husband, a former B-29 pilot, enjoyed flying small planes, doing aerobatics, cross-country flying, and traveling together. 

Janice loved her family and they adored her. It’s to them that we extend our deepest sympathies and appreciation for allowing us the time to be able to experience the musical genius of Janice.

Janice sings at a Young@Heart rehearsal with Pat Cady in the background.

In Honor of Pat Cady (1935-2020)

Young@Heart is deeply saddened to share the news of our chorus member Pat Cady's passing on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Pat was 84 and joined the Young@Heart in 2006. She was sassy, fun and had unbridled energy on stage.

She had a real range of songs that she covered, from the tongue twisting “How Bizarre” by the New Zealand band OMC, the rowdy “Too Drunk to Dream" by the Magnetic Fields, to the last song she sang, the beautiful ballad “I Dreamed of My Old Lover” by Elvis Costello. Here she is singing it at one of the last rehearsals we had together before quarantine. It’s raw, unedited footage from a phone, but her spirit comes through beautifully.

Pat Cady covering the Elvis Costello song “I Dreamed of My Old Lover” a few weeks ago in one of her last rehearsals.

Pat kept everyone fed at break with her endless supply of candy. She loved to travel and did a lot of that in her 13 years with Young@Heart. She even got lost once in Berlin where our bus found her after an hour search, underneath the Brandenburg Gate.

She was born in Hatfield, MA, and was horseback riding at age three at the Little Red Riding School her parents owned. She competed in gymnastics and also studied tap and ballet. Pat was involved with the Hatfield Historical Society for many years and served as past president. She was the first female Police Officer in Hatfield and her husband was a Massachusetts State Trooper, with whom she had three children, three grandchildren, and one great grandson. Pat was an avid crossword puzzle solver who loved to dance, knit, travel, and an occasional casino visit. 

Pat was a joy to sing with, and she will always be an integral part of who we are and what we do at Young@Heart.

Young@Heart's First Quarantine Video

Young@Heart is still singing…responsibly from our homes! We have managed to get 16 chorus members up and running Zoom on their smartphones and computers, and 7 other people are joining by phone who are heard but not seen. Using new technology wasn’t easy; the average age of our chorus members is 83 - older than the average age of those most susceptible to this virus.

Despite technical and logistical barriers, our chorus intends to keep connecting with each other to make music - even though it might look a little different than what we’re used to. Here's an inside look at our first attempt at a Zoom rehearsal video, Buffalo Springfield’s "For What it’s Worth," with lead singer Robin Wolf.

Robin is joined by 14 Young@Heart singers that you see, 7 more that you don’t see, 4 tech/band members, and our director Bob Cilman. We're singing over the instrumental track recorded at one of our recent concerts.

The video was featured on CNN’s New Day on April 8th in a special segment entitled “The Good Stuff” by anchorman John Berman. Special thanks to John! Our video has received over 200,000 views on our Facebook and YouTube pages.

Special thanks to Dan Richardson and John Laprade for all their gracious assistance in getting our singers up and running in our virtual rehearsals!

Due to the pandemic, we had to cancel our May benefit concert that usually raises $50,000 to support our rehearsals, tours, PrisonVision program, and our staff. If you want to help, you can make a donation or recurring donation here. But, we understand if you have other priorities right now.

WGBY Airs Piece on our PrisonVision Program

Phillip Ragland performs onstage while Bob Cilman and Young@Heart look on.

On January 9th, WGBY’s Connecting Point aired their special “Finding Common Ground Through Music”, an in-depth look at our ongoing collaborations with formerly incarcerated singers, as part of our PrisonVision Program. In this piece, rapper Phillip Ragland and singer/guitarist Dakota Fogg are featured, both of whom performed with Young@Heart and eight members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra at our sold-out “Young@Heart Goes Classical” concert at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, Mass on November 16, 2019.

WGBY writes: “The elderly and the formerly incarcerated — those two groups don't immediately have an obvious connection. But, the two groups have more in common than one might think. Like the elderly, the formerly incarcerated often find themselves pushed to the background of society. Northampton-based Young@Heart Chorus is made up of people 75 years or older who have a passion for music.”

Help us make a new Live album!

The album will consist of the best live versions of songs from our most recent 10 concerts.

As many of you already know, Young@Heart is running an online Kickstarter fundraising campaign now through November 8 in order to raise money to cover the cost of making a new live album of the best music from our most recent concerts "Woodstock: The Performance Peace" and "Welcome to Your Life.”

To date, we have raised $10,730 from 130 generous donors. But we still need to raise $14,270 with only 11 days to go. So we are wondering if you would please consider donating and also to share this campaign with your friends and family near and far who may be interested in supporting this project.

Here’s the link: http://kck.st/2AUnvDI

Because this is a Kickstarter campaign, we need to raise our entire goal of $25,000 before 11:59pm on November 8, 2019, to receive the funds, which will cover the costs of rehearsing, recording, mixing, mastering, and marketing the album. If we succeed, it will be released in May 2020.

The new album will also include a few bonus tracks that capture some of our favorite moments from recent shows including our Mash-Ups with the Chicago Children’s Choir, Jesus Pagan and his Salsa Orchestra and The Green Sisters. We will also include some amazing performances from singers who can no longer tour with us including the phenomenal Andy Walsh and his version of the Rolling Stones' “Miss You,” plus a wonderful rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Watchin’ the River Flow” by our beloved Arthur Klein, who passed away in 2014.

This new album is our way of taking a snapshot of the work of current members of Young@Heart. Like many of our media projects this will be a good way of creating a legacy for them. The Young@Heart movie memorialized the chorus members from 2005-2008. The Young@Heart Now CD focused on the chorus from 2009-2013 and the digital Prison Project recordings captured who we were and what we were doing from 2014-2017.

Thanks so much for your help.

Sincerely,

The Young@Heart Team

PS: If you have already made a contribution to our Kickstarter campaign, thank you so much!

PPS: For those that would like to support the album but don't want to give online, they can mail a check made out to “Young at Heart Chorus” with “Kickstarter Campaign” in the memo to: Young@Heart, 30 N Maple St, Florence, MA 01062.

Young@Heart in special segment on CNN

L-to-R: Y@H director Bob Cilman, PrisonVision participant Louis, CNN’s John Berman, Y@H singer Lu Cauley (90) and the entire Young@Heart Chorus at the Hampshire County Jail and House of Corrections during the filming of the segment.

Young@Heart Chorus is featured in a special segment entitled “Champions for Change” on CNN which premiered Tuesday, May 14th at 7:45 AM.

The special aired again during the 11 AM hour Wednesday May 15 and during the 8pm hour on Saturday May 18. Watch it here.

CNN anchor John Berman first met Young@Heart in 2008. 11 years later we were still on his mind… so he came back to see us as part of CNN’s Champions For Change, a week-long series featuring journalists revisiting stories and people that have had a lasting impact on them.

When CNN’s John Berman first met the Young@Heart Chorus in 2008, the remarkable group of senior citizens was bringing worldwide audiences to their feet. The chorus members — ranging from 75-90 years young — break all the rules, belting out the most surprising range of rock-n-roll hits. Today, they go even further: their collaboration with young prison inmates spreads the message that life can be fulfilling whatever the obstacles. 

Special thanks to John Berman and his entire team for featuring us and highlighting our work again on the program.

Young@Heart is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and funded entirely by the support of generous people around the world. Please consider making a donation today here so we may continue our work.

Winter Clothing and Toy Drive for local displaced families from Puerto Rico & Elsewhere

As an arts organization, Young@Heart wants to do more than provide entertainment. We are committed to improving and enriching the lives of our community’s most vulnerable members.

The one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s devastation of Puerto Rico just passed. We are constantly reminded of how dire the situation in Puerto Rico has been and continues to be, and we are aware that the Pioneer Valley is a major destination for recently displaced families from the island. For example, Springfield enrolled 590 new students within four months of the hurricane, according to Superintendant of Schools Lydia Martinez.

In concert with community partners, Young@Heart is collecting donated cold-weather jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, and kids toys from our fans for these families, our new neighbors, at our Mashup Concert on October 21 at the Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main St, Northampton. Donations can also be dropped off between now and October 21 at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St in Northampton Mon-Fri 8-5pm and at Greenfield Savings Bank's Northampton King St, Hadley Rt 9, and Amherst University Drive branches.

Donated items should be clean, unwrapped and in very good or “like new” condition. All sizes, male and female, are appreciated. Those not attending the concert are still urged to drop off their donations at the Academy of Music from 2-5pm on Oct 21 in the large truck stationed at the entrance, or at our other drop-off locations between now and Oct 21. Volunteers will be there to assist. For more information about the clothing drive, please email Mark Guglielmo admin@youngatheartchorus.com

Mashup VI: Woodstock meets Old San Juan

Young@Heart’s Norm Moreau, Rosalie Moreau, Anita Shumway and Byron Ricketts Jr. talk shop with Jesus Pagan. Photo by Lynne Graves.

YOUNG@HEART in MASHUP VI with JESUS PAGAN Y SU ORQUESTA
Woodstock: The Performance Peace Meets a Night in Old San Juan
Special Guests: The Green Sisters

Sunday, October 21, 2018 @ 3PM
Academy of Music Theatre
274 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060
Purchase tickets online
or call the box office 413-584-9032 x105

On October 21st, we present our 6th annual Mashup Concert. Young@Heart will be joined on-stage by special guests Jesus Pagan Y Su Orquesta, and the Green Sisters. From Woodstock to Old San Juan this Mashup will have you dancing in the aisles! That afternoon we will also hold a Cold-weather Clothing/Toy Drive to benefit displaced families from Puerto Rico and elsewhere (more info here).

In preparation for the 50th anniversary of Woodstock (2019), Young@Heart will do an opening set of music from the iconic Woodstock album, but set in a very different context from hippies in the Catskills. 

This year Young@Heart is honored to share the stage with Jesus Pagan Y Su Orquesta, a fabulous 12-piece salsa band of all-star Latin musicians from Puerto Rico, New York, and New England, who will perform a second set of all original material. Jesus, some of his musicians, and the Green Sisters will join in on Young@Heart's take of Woodstock while Young@Heart will accompany Jesus and his orchestra on a few of their tunes in the second set.

The orchestra's leader and vocalist, Jesus Pagan, was born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents. He grew up in a musical family playing aquinaldos, bomba, plenas, boleros and his first love -- salsa. He has since shared the stage with such Latin music legends as Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Larry Harlow, and Tito Nieves, among others.

He’s released 5 albums, received accolades at the Grammys and Latin Grammys, numerous Artist-of-the-Year awards and was the Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican parade in Holyoke in 2016. Some of his greatest musical moments include singing with salsa superstar Gilberto Santa Rosa at a sold-out Carnegie Hall in 2013 and singing lead with Orquesta Dicupe at the Macarena Arena in Medellin, Colombia in front of 20,000 salsa fans.

Sprouting from a small farm in rural Massachusetts, The Green Sisters have garnered quite a following over the past three years. With their tight harmonies and high energy tunes, they bounce their jovial banter around the stage as only siblings can. Their debut album Endless Blue was released in June 2018. Valley Advocate called it "a familial gem" while Greenfield Recorder wrote: "As soon as the disc opens...we are already won over; instantly captivated by the sisters' gorgeous vocals." The four gals jump easily from bluegrass to barbershop to blues to Celtic to originals of all styles.

Winter Clothing & Toy Drive

As an arts organization, Young@Heart wants to do more than provide entertainment. We are committed to improving and enriching the lives of our community’s most vulnerable members. 

The one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s devastation of Puerto Rico just passed. We are constantly reminded of how dire the situation in Puerto Rico has been and continues to be, and we are aware that the Pioneer Valley is a major destination for recently displaced families from the island. For example, Springfield enrolled 590 new students within four months of the hurricane, according to Superintendant of Schools Lydia Martinez.

In concert with community partners, Young@Heart will be collecting donated cold-weather jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, and kids toys from our fans for these families at our Mashup Concert on October 21st at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton. Donations can also be dropped off between now and Oct 21 at the Northampton Senior Center at 67 Conz St in Northampton between 8-5pm Mon-Fri and at Greenfield Savings Bank's Northampton King St, Hadley Rt 9, and Amherst University Drive branches.

Donated items should be clean, unwrapped and in very good or “like new” condition. All sizes, male and female, are appreciated. Those not attending the concert are still urged to drop off their donations at the Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main St in Northampton from 2-5pm on the afternoon of the show October 21 in the large truck. Volunteers will be there to assist. For more information about the clothing drive, please email admin@youngatheartchorus.com

Sponsors

Greenfield Savings Bank, Lathrop Communities, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Valley Advocate, 93.9 The River, WHMP, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Chorus tours The Netherlands and Belgium

Belgian national television station VRT profiled the Young@Heart before the Chorus' last show in Aalst, Belgium on our most recent Netherlands/Belgium 2018 tour, which included 5 shows, 4 in the Netherlands and 1 in Belgium (Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Utrecht; Wilmink Theater, Enschede; Operadagen Rotterdam; Zuiderstrandtheater, Den Haag, Netherlands; De Werft, Aalst, Belgium).

Watch the clip here.

After a rocky start that found 3 chorus members in Rotterdam's Sint Francis Hospital Emergency Room at the same time, which caused them all to miss the first concert, everyone rebounded quickly and went on to have the entire cast for the remainder of the tour.

The audiences were enthusiastic and drank us all under the tables after the shows. Eleven of the singers were traveling internationally with the Young@Heart for the first time. Presented by JG Baggerman and Lucienne van der Mijle of Amsterdam's Global Performing Arts Group, who also brought the Chorus to Europe back in 2013, this tour included an outdoor concert in Rotterdam, a fabulous banquet in Bierhandel De Pijp, Rotterdam's oldest restaurant dating back to 1898, a tour of Ann Frank's house in Amsterdam and a wonderful visit to the Boijmans Museum.

Photos from the tour by Lucienne van der Mijle.

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