The Tune-Agers are still going strong and adding to their 44-year history in the Okanagan with their upcoming Christmas concert.
The concert is being held on Dec. 7 at the Shatford Centre and features classics and playful Christmas hits.
The Tune-Agers have a total of 77 members with 45 singers and 22 orchestra musicians, all over 50 years old. Their oldest member is 93.
“She can sing her heart out and she’s still in there singing away and that’s great,” Tune-Agers conductor Gordon Dawson said. “Some folks have been with us a long time. Some for over 20 years. They keep coming back so they are obviously having fun.”
The Tune-Agers will be playing a diverse arrangement of music spanning from Beethoven to Santa Claus is Coming to Town and including a spin on the Christmas classic The First Noel which will be combined with Pachelbel’s Cannon in D.
“It’s a very, very clever combination of a baroque song in with the traditional First Noel. It works very well,” Dawson said.
Dawson said the group is having fun with the rehearsals of the Christmas songs and there has even been a little friendly competition during the performance of Baby It’s Cold Outside.
“It is set up as a bit of a challenge between the men and the women. It’s kind of a cat and mouse game sort of thing,” Dawson said.
The Tune-Agers are always looking for new members, and for those interested in joining the choir, a degree in music is not required.
“All they have to do is want to sing and have some ability. They don’t have to have the ability to read music. We have people who can help them with that,”
They are also continuously searching for new orchestra members.
Dawson appreciates the venue’s assistance in Penticton and the ticket sales will be split between the Shatford Centre and the Tune-Agers to help with operational costs.
“The people at Shatford sure treat us well, they’ve been great,” Dawson said.
The Tune-Agers will be taking a holiday break before they are back at rehearsal in January and appear next for their fundraising concert on March 27.
Tickets for the Christmas concert are $12 and are available at the Dragon’s Den Penticton or at the door, or call 250-494-9700.