Performing in the Golden Years: Just Survive or Really Thrive?

Dorothy Young Riess

Monday, June 20, 8 AM

The Golden Years (age 65 +) place special demands on organist performers. To thrive, instead of just survive, requires understanding basic physiologic changes of advancing years, and developing new ways to approach practice and performance. Discussion includes definition of “golden years”, examples of amazing performers over 65, how body changes affect memory and performance, social stigma about “older” people vs. prevalent “youth” culture, and most important, how to develop new strategies for effective practice and motivation to continue. The workshop is fast-paced, peppered with humor, songs, physical exercise and practical suggestions. Just survive? NO! Really thrive? YES!

Dorothy Young Riess is a medical doctor, student of Mildred Andrews at OU, Marcel Dupré at Fontainebleau, France, and Frank Bozyan at Yale. Winner of NYACOP San Francisco 1952 (age 20), she left a promising concert career to study medicine at age 33. After 10 years of training and 30 of practicing Internal Medicine in Pasadena CA, she retired to Las Vegas and resumed organ playing. Featured soloist at AGO Region IX conventions, 2011, and 2013, she maintains an active concert schedule and recently performed her 85th birthday celebration recital at UNLV. She brings firsthand experience to this workshop.

Click here to download the workshop handout.