• Facebook
  • Twitter
Giving Voice Chorus
  • Home
  • Start a Chorus
      • Start a Giving Voice Chorus

        Use our Toolkit below to get started on creating a chorus in your community.

      • Start a Chorus
    • Initial Assessment & Planning
      • People
      • Community need
      • Hosting
      • Resources
      • Planning
    • The Choral Experience
      • Philosophy
      • Facilities
      • Rehearsals
      • Performances
      • Repertoire
      • Care partners
      • Singer feedback
    • Program Administration
      • Staffing
      • Registration & outreach
      • Dementia-friendly environment
      • Volunteers
      • Finances
    • FAQ and Information Forum
      • Ask a question
  • Join a Chorus
  • Learn More
    • About Giving Voice
      • Board & Staff
      • History
    • Singing & Memory
      • Research
      • Resources
        • Websites
        • Movies
        • Books & Toolkits
    • Stories
      • Featuring profiles of people thriving while living with dementia.

      • Read Stories
      • Stories
  • Blog, News & Events
  • Donate
  • Twin Cities Choruses
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: Home1 / “I Know I Have to Work with You”: An Intergenerational Perspective”...

 When Elizabeth Thompson first heard about Giving Voice Chorus from her music director at Washington and Lee University, an 1,800 person liberal arts college in Lexington, VA, she was astonished.  She explored the web links and listened to the professional news videos.  She had never heard of the chorus until her choral instructor shared a web link was shared with her.  She had never been to Minnesota and had no contacts there.  And yet, this chorus seemed to be a creative opportunity that fit like a glovefor her professional and personal path.

As an upcoming senior in the fall of 2019 with a neuroscience major combined with choral direction studies, Elizabeth quickly called the Minnesota chorus with an introduction to herself and her professional interests.

She recalls this initial conversation vividly.  “When I reached the Giving Voice Chorus, I said, ‘I know I have to work with you.  I am seeking a summer internship as a neuroscience major with a focus in choral direction. I’ve been singing since I was three years old and am the president of Washington & Lee’s university chorus as well as our section leader.  My mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor when I was in sixth grade which introduced me to the world of neuroscience.  My grandfather lived with dementia in his later years and was a key influencer in my life.  My goal is to bring the world of neuroscience and choral involvements together in a way that will benefit all.  I want to come to Minnesota this summer and experience how the chorus is influencing the lives of individuals living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.”

This was the beginning of a dual HealthPartners Center for Memory and Aging and Giving Voice

12-week summer internship that was a win-winfor everyone involved.  Elizabeth spent the summer with leading physician researchers at HealthPartners Center for Memory andAging exploring how working with intranasal procedures and brain insulin barriers may provide a significantly better understanding of Alzheimer’s.  She also spent a half-day each week in Giving Voice Chorus rehearsals, singing with the chorus and getting to know the singers, experiencing the impact of music direction, and witnessing the singer social transformations that took place at each rehearsal.

“I had this unique opportunity to see both sides of Alzheimer’s – the biology of the disease and the way this amazing chorus brings joy and wellbeing to those living with the disease and their caregivers.   On one hand, I learned invaluable lab techniques and worked with a stellar research team in learning about Alzheimer’s.  And at the same time, I experienced the real lives of the chorus singers living with Alzheimer’s, and how they learn new music and support each other.  I always saw the whole person in each chorus rehearsal – having so much fun singing, laughing together, creatively learning.  It was an amazing opportunity.”

is modest about her accomplishments.  She has sung in faith-based choirs, all city choirs, and all state choirs growing up in Arlington, Texas.  When her mother and grandfather were diagnosed with brain diseases growing up, she began to read and explore the complexities of how our bodies and brain function.  When her grandfather was diagnosed with dementia, she noticed how he particularly became interested in her choral singing.  One night when she had a choral performance that he could not attend due to his illness, he asked her to dedicate her singing that night to him. He passed away the next day.

“The opportunity to work with Giving Voice Chorus and the HealthPartners research team for 12 weeks has been a once-in-a-lifetime gift.  I was able to clearly see full, wholeindividuals living with

Alzheimer’s.  I saw the patience, support, and humor of caregivers during weekly chorus rehearsals. As a student conductor at my university, I observed the MacPhail Center for Music’s professional music director working with the singers and volunteers in powerful, compassionate ways.  This intern opportunity was a perfect combination of everything I am passionate about.  I met so many professionals who are doing exactly what I love.  I never want to lose sight of the impact that music

has on persons living with this disease and caregivers.  It has been an absolute honor to spend the summer in this extraordinary environment.”

Next on Elizabeth’s horizon is to prepare for the MCAT (MedicalCollegeAdmission Test®) as she sets her sights on medical school and/or a profession as a bioscience researcher. But wherever she lands, this summer’s chorus experience with Giving Voice combined with a rich research learning will last forever.

Written by Barbara Greene, Health Care Consultant & Giving Voice Board Member

 

Pages

  • #1918 (no title)
  • “I Know I Have to Work with You”: An Intergenerational Perspective”
  • Ask a Question
  • August 25 Event
  • Development Specialist II – Job Opportunity
  • Giving Voice Concert, Dec 2020 Music in Me
  • Home
  • Initial Assessment & Planning
  • Philosophy
  • Research
  • Singing & Memory
  • Staffing
  • Suggested music
  • Facilities
  • Registration & Outreach
  • Resources
  • Start a Chorus
  • Stories
  • The Choral Experience
  • Board & Staff
  • Dementia-Friendly Environment
  • Join a Chorus
  • Program Administration
  • Rehearsals
  • FAQ and Information Forum
  • History
  • Learn More
  • Performances
  • Volunteers
  • Finances
  • Print the Giving Voice Toolkit
  • Repertoire
  • Twin Cities Chorus
  • Care partners
  • Singer feedback
  • Blog, News & Events
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Terms of Use

Categories

  • Blog
  • National
  • Twin Cities Blog
  • Twin Cities News

Archive

  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • December 2019
  • August 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2016

Donate today.

With your support, people with dementia can experience joy and friendship though music.

Donate

Sign up for emails.

Stay up to date with the latest from Giving Voice Initiative.

Contact us.

Giving Voice Initiative
7801 East Bush Lake Rd, Suite 120
Bloomington, MN 55439
(612) 440-9660

contact

©2019 - Giving Voice Initiative     Terms of Use
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Scroll to top

By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Accept settingsHide notification only