For Wellesley resident Dr. Robert Ferrell, Monday nights are sacrosanct. That’s when he and roughly 70 other men from all around Greater Boston rehearse with Boston Saengerfest Men’s Chorus. The non-profit ensemble, which performs repertoire ranging from Bach to Broadway and is now celebrating its 20th season, has a devoted following and has toured extensively in Canada and Great Britain, in addition to performances here.
However, it’s not just about artistic glory for Ferrell and his fellow singers in the chorus. A critical part of Saengerfest’s mission is to raise funds for numerous charities around New England, and the group has performed more than 50 dedicated concerts raising up to $50,000 each.
For the group’s upcoming concert April 29 in Wellesley, entitled “Boyz to Men,” the group’s aim is a little different, but no less laudable. Part of Saengerfest’s mission is to promote youth in music, and to that end, the chorus has invited boys’ choirs from Wellesley High School and Natick High School, as well as two groups from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, to join them for a special intergenerational concert. Each group will sing individually, then join together for massed choir. The hope is that this unique collaboration will be not just intergenerational, but inspirational.
Saengerfest’s music director Michael Driscoll explains, “I know as a high school teacher myself, I’m always looking for opportunities for my students to perform outside the walls of our school and town. I think it’s really helpful for kids to see other kids perform, both in raising the musical bar, but also in forging friendships with like-minded peers from other areas. And I also think it’s great for the younger guys to see the men in Saengerfest (many of whom are old enough to be their grandfathers!) and realize that singing can be a life-long avocation. For the men in Saengerfest, it’s an opportunity to encourage and support young men singing, because as we know, it’s not always the ‘coolest’ thing for young men to do.”
Dr. Kevin J. McDonald, Director of Choral Music at Wellesley High School, which also participated in the first “Boyz to Men” concert last year, says, “I try to teach my students that the creation of art and music opens the doors to building relationships with others. It increases sensitivity and compassion, communicates joy and sorrow, and touches the hearts of the performers and the audience. This collaborative effort with Boston Saengerfest is an excellent opportunity for our students to share in a performance experience that encourages a life-long enjoyment of music making.”
Like the 71-year-old Ferrell, many of the men in Saengerfest have been doing just that for decades. The mean age of the chorus is 69, with the majority of singers over 60 years old. Two-thirds of the men are retired professionals. At an age when many men start to experience increased isolation from retirement and family separation, the dedicated choristers of Saengerfest enjoy the camaraderie of singing at weekly rehearsals and performing in four or five concerts each year. “The friendships are very strong in this group,” says Saengerfest’s president elect, Tim Borchers. “We value the friendships as much as the quality of music. There’s a nice sense of camaraderie, and that’s key. It’s across all denominations and backgrounds, and there are not many opportunities like this.”
Ferrell adds, “Singing of any kind is a wonderful means of communication, not just of joy but of the whole range of emotion. Choral singing tries to capture with sound and word the whole human experience. Part of the joy of singing in a group is making harmony, and when the chords of harmony are struck just right, it gives you an appreciation for music beyond what you experience as a soloist.”
Singing also has scientifically proven health benefits. “It’s rejuvenating,” claims Borchers. “It gets the blood flowing and the heart pumping,” he claims. “And it keeps the memory agile. We’re always doing new music.”
“It lights up all the areas of the brain,” Ferrell adds, “stimulating the brain in the most positive of ways. It helps me feel at least 20 years younger.” The ensemble’s motto says it all: “…we perform to help others, we sing to help ourselves.”
One might think a concert celebrating the juxtaposition of older veterans and young enthusiasts might only showcase the contrast. But in fact, according to Borchers, the “Boyz to Men” format bridges the generations. “Last year I was standing behind these youngsters, and they turned around and looked at us as if to say, ‘Boy, these guys can really sing!’ It’s interesting to observe how young and old interact. It gave the older guys a chance to chat it up with the youngsters, and say ‘We’ve been doing this all our lives, so keep it up!’”