Its good to force yourself to do things sometimes especialy Music

I have just started playing table tennis at the age of 71,
Great fun!

Hi, I’m aged 70. My ‘hobbies’ are choral singing; keep fit; walking netball; bowls and coffee/lunch with friends; volunteering serving coffee to Seniors - no time for anything else ?

Have just taken up table tennis at the age of 71. Great fun.

How right everyone is!.. music, particularly, is very therapeutic. I come from a very musical family (a few professional) but never really had the opportunity to learn an instrument myself... my DM has always sung around the house and I do too..in fact it took me a long time to realise not everybody does...lol!. Anyhow.. I recently saw an advert for a taster session with Rock Choir. Working evenings means I've always had a problem joining anything but this is a morning session.. brilliant! I've persuaded (well, didn't take much!) a workmate to come along and we are going next week... can't wait! We can both hold a tune so hopefully won't show ourselves up TOO much.. but who cares...it sounds very relaxed and more about the joy of community singing than anything else. I say "Go for it" everyone, whatever you choose to do...life is too short not to. In the meantime have listen to this.... all those voices..its wonderful! youtu.be/AGRfJ6-qkr4

Grandma2213 It has done the same for me in terms of better breathing, sight reading etc. Almost without me realising.

We have had a couple of ukulele groups at Mums Care Home. They were tremendous and everyone enjoyed them,

Just come back from my choir tonight (Thursday). It is the highlight of my week and many of the other members, according to our Facebook page! It has improved my well being generally with improved breathing, and voice control as well as better memory skills but mainly is a good laugh. I agree a good conductor makes all the difference. He is so encouraging and teaches things almost without us noticing. I have begun, finally, to understand how to read music. I have also done performances for the first time in my life (though we do not have to) and have ended up with tears in my eyes with the applause afterwards.

I also do Zumba because I am so uncoordinated! Again it is great fun. Nobody judges. Getting out there definitely has a positive effect.

I read once that orchestra conductors often work into old age because they have beautiful music 'washing over' them their whole lives, which sustains them. Maybe the Rolling Stones know that too!!

I have just moved out of one choir which was once a good choral society but fell foul of a change of conductor due to his retirement at 80 two years ago.

The replacement was nowhere near up to the job. Her rehearsals were dreadful, unfocused and her conductors standards very low.
( I should have moved two years ago but hoping it might get better). A bad idea that.

After Christmas I finished there and joined a newer one with an excellent and inspiring conductor.

All my enthusiasm has come flooding back, the rehearsal was great fun and hard work and the quality of the singing is great. My spirits are well and truly lifted.

We'll look out for you on Youtube with 'Little Stick of Blackpool Rock' !

seacliff, I belong to a Tuneless Choir which, as the name suggests, is for people who think they can't sing (I could clear a room in 10 seconds!). The idea is to have FUN, we laugh at all the bum notes but we have a go at anything. We have also done several performances (not obligatory) in the local area.
Tuneless Choirs are popping up all over the country so have a look around your area. I love my Tuneless Tuesday and it has made me generally feel better in myself.

FarNorth, handbells make a lovely sound. I envy you.

I’m actually amazed at the explosion in popularity of the ukelele. It’s an instrument that’s been around for years - I remember a friend of mine at school had one that I used to like to strum, and that’s going back a bit, but it really seems to have taken off recently. One of my step-grandson’s has one and taught himself to play. Next time I go up there I may have to have little plink!

I've recently started in a handbell ringing group. The group itself is very new so we're all pretty clueless.
Mostly one only has to use two bells at a time, and we have music with the relevant notes highlighted (lots of work from the tutor).
A friend gave me a 1-hr crash course in music reading as I had no idea about it.
It's astonishing to me to be doing something musical, as I never thought I had any aptitude for it.

Circle dancing is something I've done for a long time, though.
No partner needed, dances traditional and newer, all welcome.
circledancegrapevine.co.uk

I couldn't agree more. Sadly if I got my ukulele out in company I'd probably empty the room in less than five minutes! More practice is definitely required.

Procrastinating, Kim19. I annoy myself by doing that too.

I don’t understand the hangup about reading music, though. At the fairly basic level required for most stuff a non-auditioned choir would be singing, reading music would be easy. Why not learn? After all, six-year-olds can do it.

Of course lemongrove is right about voices deteriorating, but in a non-auditioned, fun choir that shouldn’t make any difference. People just go to sing, not necessarily well. Some choirs wouldn't exist without the over-sixties!

Yes, go join a (community) choir! We moved here four years ago and joined our local choir - £2 a week, no auditions, 100 plus members and a full and varied repertoire. We sing locally in churches, community centres, and have reached the dizzy heights of Rochester and Canterbury Cathedrals, at the Brandenburg concerts held in London, and next year at the Royal Albert Hall! We have a brilliant Musical Director and pianist, and wonderful people to make music with. Music can and does lift the soul! ?

I have just joined a small local gym that I can walk to and am in the process of cancelling my membership of V****n which had got really expensive. I could only get there by car along a very busy and congested road and tended to make excuses for not going. I now have no excuse and having made the effort to get there I really enjoy using the machines and passing the time of day with the other ladies (and a few men) who go. In spite of a few creaky joints and the need for a sit down afterwards it’s all part of the regime to use it or lose it in the year I turn 70!

Have just taken up table tennis such fun.Dont always feel like getting of the sofa these cold wet evenings but always glad I made the effort.

If you want to join a choir, don’t put it off, voices deteriorate with age, and several choir members locally I know have had to retire from them.They are very social groups who have a great time.
No age limit for learning an instrument though, just dedication needed.

All my life I have sung in a choir. Every time I have moved house, one of the first things I do is find a choir to join.
Locally there are lots to choose from, at all levels, including a Fun Chorus.
After a rehearsal of one of the top choirs in the area, I come home exhilarated, almost like feeling I have done a mental workout. The standard is very high and you have to learn fast in this choir. In addition, we are singing the current work in German, so there is a lot to get your head round. I love it.
Sometimes I do a Come & Sing on a Saturday. Learn and perform a work in a day. Great fun.

Well done to you seacliff. It's brave to have a go at something that you haven't tried before and are not very confident about.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm in two choirs and sometimes, when it's cold and miserable outside, I'm tempted not to go. But I do and I always feel so much better for it.

Oh you are all doing such great things. I think it's so much more fun when you are doing something as part of a group, as you spur each other on and have a laugh. I am not good at motivating myself to do things alone.

I have found a choir near me, thanks Luckygirl. It is £5 a session. I am trying to economise and see if I can afford to totally retire, but all these extras add up. There is also a U3A singing group, but that is a work day for me at the moment.

I would heartily recommend learning the ukulele, if you're new to music. I understand it has also replaced recorder lessons at many schools It isn't the most melodic instrument, but it is small, can be bought cheaply, and is one of the easiest instruments to learn.

Grannytotwins, wow you are amazing. I would never dare to try something like that. I have got a lot less mobile recently, due to weight gain mainly. I really need to do something about it. I want to join a group of similar "old crocks".