The Masterwork Chorus
Upcoming Concerts
ReachOut!
An important element of The Masterwork Chorus community outreach is its ReachOut program to the elderly and infirm. In this free, twice-yearly program, Masterwork visits residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities. Members of the chorus present a short concert of well-known choral pieces, folk songs and other popular works, and a final sing-along activity in which members of the audience are asked to join with the Chorus in singing old favorites and patriotic songs from a sing along packet provided to the facility. The program is planned and overseen by Music Director Andrew Megill.
Residents enjoy both the performance and the opportunity to choose and sing some of their own favorite songs. Since Masterwork began its ReachOut program in 1999, the chorus has visited more than 30 facilities, some of them several times, entertaining in total more than 5,000 people in Morris, Essex, Somerset and Warren Counties.
The inaugural ReachOut! program was a day of community service on March 27, 1999. On this day, The Masterwork Chorus, traveling by bus in two groups, visited senior citizen facilities and nursing homes in Morris, Warren, and Somerset Counties. Each group performed a wide variety of choral repertoire, including Masterwork's cornerstone piece, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.
ReachOut! is now a regular part of our performance season. Some of the friends to whom we have "reached out" have since attended our concert venues in Morristown and New Brunswick, and we have been so pleased to have them join us.
- Facilities we have visited include:
- Morris View Nursing Home, in Morris Township
- St. Clare's Continuing Care Pavilion in Dover, for those requiring long-term nursing care
- Heath Village Retirement Community in Hackettstown
- St. Anne's Villa in Florham Park, a home for retired and infirm Sisters of Charity
- Brighton Gardens of West Orange, an assisted living residence
- Fellowship Village in Basking Ridge, a facility that includes both active senior citizens and those requiring nursing care
- The Chelsea of Florham Park, an assisted living residence
- Ridge Oaks Senior Citizens Community in Basking Ridge
- Sunrise Assisted Living of Morris Plains
- Kessler Rehabilitation Institute, in West Orange
- Franciscan Oaks in Denville
- Brighton Gardens in Florham Park
- Cranes Mill in West Caldwell
- Daughters of Israel in West Orange
- Inglemoor Care Center in Livingston
- Brandywine Assisted Living at Middlebrook Crossing in Bridgewater
- Arbor Glen in Bridgewater
- The Chelsea of Montville, an assisted living residence
- New Jersey Firemen's Home in Boonton
- Morris Hills Nursing Center in Morristown
- Bethesda Health Center at Fellow Village, Basking Ridge
- Castle Assisted Living, Florham Park
- Spring Hills at Morristown Assisted Living
- St. Francis Health Resort, Denville
ReachOut! concerts are offered free of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted.
