Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Seniors Programs
BLOG written by Guest, Megan Nourse of the HPO
At the HPO, we consider music to be a necessary component of a healthy and happy life.
Older adults are among our greatest supporters and most active patrons. We know many factors may make it difficult for older adults to experience the orchestra. We are constantly evolving and expanding our outreach initiatives to better serve our community’s older population and make the HPO accessible to all.
Here we have outlined some of our programs. We hope to see you there!
Seniors Connect
Many longtime patrons of the HPO stop attending concerts for financial, physical and social reasons.
Our Seniors Connect program removes these barriers by providing needs-based services including door-to-door transportation and complimentary tickets. We also host a pre-concert social gathering for participants and HPO volunteers with refreshments. This offers a great chance to make friends over a shared love of the orchestra.
“I cannot drive at night. This was my first time, and it was a delight. Great committee to make me feel welcome and enjoy a night out,”
- Patron of our Seniors Connect Program
HPO at the Library
This program provides free concerts in local libraries open to all community members! These performances provide anyone with an experience of live orchestral music and the opportunity to connect with our musicians.
Seniors’ Talk and Tea
Our Composer-in-Residence, Abigail Richardson-Schulte, hosts special talks and piano demonstrations based on the music featured in our upcoming concerts.
Join us for coffee, tea and treats to enjoy with the discussion. Stick around after the talk to get a special sneak-peak of an HPO rehearsal in FirstOntario Concert Hall’s Great Hall! Tickets $12.
“The Seniors’ Talk and Tea is an excellent program and I haven’t stopped singing its praises. I’m already looking forward to the next talk,”
- Patron of our Seniors’ Talk and Tea
Hearing Loss Study with LIVElab
As part of the HPO’s Wellbeing Initiative, we partnered with McMaster University’s LIVELab to improve the concert experience for people experiencing hearing loss. Standard hearing aids are typically not optimized for music listening. This leaves wearers frustrated with distorted sound quality while listening to the music they love.
Our May 2019 concert Mahler’s Fifth involved a groundbreaking study with LIVELab testing the effectiveness of specialized hearing aids. We are proud to work with leading researchers at the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind on this study to improve the lives of those experiencing hearing loss.
We are happy to partner with local organizations including Caroline Place and the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging to further develop these initiatives and create new opportunities for older adults to engage with the HPO. Many older adults have commented on the value these programs have brought them.
