This holiday season has been especially joyous for those senior citizens who were fortunate enough to hear the latest concert series presented by Joining Old and Young. These community-minded singers from the Academy of the Holy Angels have been delighting audiences since the early 2000s. With accompaniment from pianist Suzanne Alenick, JOY spreads cheer and goodwill throughout the region.
Just after Thanksgiving, JOY presented one-hour concerts at Sunrise of New City, New York; Atrium Post Acute Care in Park Ridge; the Jewish Home at Rockleigh; and Promenade at Chestnut Ridge, New York. A few weeks before Christmas, the singers performed at Sunrise locations in Woodcliff Lake, Old Tappan, and New City, New York. They also made an encore performance at the Promenade.
Each time JOY sets out for a concert series, the singers begin the day by gathering for breakfast at a member’s home. Their midday break includes lunch at a local diner.
The teen vocalists present songs from the 1930s through the 1960s, following in the footsteps of an AHA alumna. While she was a student at AHA, JOY’s founder noticed the positive effects music had on her grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s disease. When this young woman played tunes from the past, her grandmother became lively and more engaged. That Angel resolved to bring the same delight to other seniors, and launched JOY’s continuing tradition of music and community service.
JOY also raises funds for Make-a-Wish, an organization that grants the wishes of seriously ill children.
