Chorus for people with Parkinson's to resume in person in January

HINGHAM – A choral group for people with symptoms of Parkinson's disease is returning to in-person sessions after going online for the past year during the pandemic.

South Shore Conservatory's Singing with Parkinson's chorus, which went virtual in September 2020, will meet in person starting Jan. 12 at the Conservatory's Hingham campus.

Cathy Kang, of Scituate, a music specialist, will be the new conductor.

The chorus will meet on Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. and is open to those living with Parkinson's disease, their care partners, and anyone in their support network.

The group will be limited to 20 people so social distance can be maintained.

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On the South Shore, more than 300 people are living with the progressive neuromuscular disease, according to the conservatory.

The brain disorder causes tremors and mainly affects older people, with the average age of diagnosis being 60. Symptoms include shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination.

The Conservatory's Creative Arts Therapies Department received an American Parkinson Disease Association grant to fund the renewed chorus. The new session runs from Jan. 12 through June 1, 2022.

The chorus was started in January 2019 by Eve Montague with a grant from the American Parkinson Disease Association Massachusetts Chapter.

Singing groups for people with Parkinson’s disease have grown up around the country. Kang said research has shown that singing together and doing musical exercises can benefit breathing, improve communication skills and the quality of speaking and boost feelings of well-being.

"The people really enjoy singing together," she said.

The sessions generally include one hour of rehearsal followed by 30 minutes of optional social time with refreshments. There is no charge; donations are accepted for refreshments.

Steady singing: How the Parkinson's chorus began

In a typical session, the chorus members do easy movement and vocal warmups. Then they sing both well-known songs and new repertoire with live accompaniment. Kang will work with a board-certified movement/dance therapist and an accompanist.

The activities are chosen to help the singers strengthen the volume of their voice, which is often reduced as Parkinson's progresses. Repetitive exercises help maintain motor and speech abilities for longer periods of time.

Ed Sorrentino, a music educator with the conservatory, has also run drum circles at senior centers in Norwell and Pembroke.

Drum circles: "We're here to have fun and this will be in-the-moment music."

“We’re happy to watch the power of music touch this population, and we hope this weekly get-together brightens the lives of all who come and sing with us," Kang said.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Kang studied music therapy and psychology as her second career. She has also worked with adults recovering from stroke or traumatic brain injury, adults with dementia, young adults with special needs, and children of all ages.

Music therapist Amanda Reopell has been the conductor.

"It was a very humbling experience to meet the people and be able to share music together," she said. "The people made new connections through music and also shared their common experience of living with Parkinson's. New relationships were formed."

For more information or to register for the program, visit the Conservatory website.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hingham chorus for people with Parkinson's to resume in-person singing