About Us
Defying dementia through music
"Singing for people with Dementia has shown improvements in general feelings of well-being as well as stimulating memory responses and promoting sense of belonging and social bonding."
(Osman et al, 2016)
Mission statement
Raising Voices works to give persons living with dementia and their carepartners a way to enjoy the health and social benefits of making music together. Access to meaningful engagement in a supportive choral community can maximize individual abilities and provide members with the opportunity for self-expression, self-determination, and success. It is our hope that through a positive musical environment that promotes dignity and respect, dementia patients and their care partners can realize holistic improvements to their well-being and quality of life.
Community
Living with dementia can be isolating, coming together to sing and socialize reminds participants and care partners that they are not alone.
Purpose
Raising Voices gives back a sense of value and purpose that a dementia diagnosis can so easily take away.
Physical and emotional well-being
From acting as a natural dopamine promoter to igniting stronger physical movements, music is proven to improve physical & emotional well-being.
Purple is the color of Alzheimer's awareness, so our team sports purple scarves at events. Singers will also wear purple scarves for our concerts!
Photo from our introductory singalong on January 25, 2025 - Left to right: Julie McCoy, Sarah DeYong, Camille DeYong, Ainsley Carmichael (photo by Elizabeth Harrison)
Join our Board of Directors!
Are you dedicated to the Stillwater community? Are you invested in the future of Raising Voices? Click here to review the board roles we are looking to fill. Then send this form to info@raisingvoicesok.com
In November we will be electing board members for the 2026 fiscal year.
Steering Committee
These founding members have championed the beginnings of the Raising Voices choir. Each is passionate about the positive impact that music can have on a person's life. They are dedicated to fostering a joyful, empowering choral program that improves the lives of those experiencing cognitive decline, and showcases what living well with dementia can look like.
FAQ
What are rehearsals like?
You will meet weekly to sing a variety of music, familiar and challenging. You will receive a personalized music book and practice CD. The music director and volunteers are all dementia-aware and available to assist. Each 2 hr rehearsal period is run with the same structure for fun and predictability.
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Arrival and social time - 20-30 minutes
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Opening ritual song and warm-up - 5 minutes
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Working on repertoire - 40 minutes
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Move & groove - 5 minutes
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"Music & Me" - 5 minutes (a choir member shares the impact of music on their lives)
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Announcements - 5 minutes
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Closing ritual - 5 minutes​
Will there be a public performance?
Yes! Raising Voices is a community program that supports living well with dementia. A pubic performance provides a goal and purpose for the chorus members. It also vividly demonstrate to family members, friends, and other audience members that many people with Alzheimer’s can experience a sense of joy, community, and accomplishment that they never thought possible
Is there a fee to join?
No! The choir is free to join. We are continually fundraising for the choir but at this time we do anticipate a small fee for supplies (binders, sheet music, concert space, etc.) so if you're able, we suggest a $25 donation when you join.
How is the choir different from music therapy or sing-alongs?
Raising Voices is not a music therapy program. Music therapy is the clinical and evidence based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Raising Voices may be therapeutic but it is not therapy.
It's also not a sing-along, which would use well-known songs but the participants sing only the melody. Many of the songs are fun and familiar but most of them are in three voice parts. This way, Raising Voices involves both experiential and sequential learning.
Who can join?
Raising Voices is for anyone and everyone! No experience or skill level is required or expected. The music will feature many familiar tunes. Others may be new but the music center of your brain (along with rehearsal, volunteers, and practice CDs) will help you to learn them. Always remember that Raising Voices is a mistake-friendly space! Joy, not perfection, is our goal.
What's the benefit for care partners?
Providing a positive and joyful experience that people with Alzheimer’s and their care partners can enjoy together is a key objective of the Giving Voice program. A care partner must accompany each singer with dementia but they may or may not be the one providing daily living support to the person with Alzheimer’s. In our chorus, care partners include spouses, friends, adult children or grandchildren, sisters or brothers, and any person whom the person living with dementia trusts and feels secure with. Each care partner participates in the chorus as a singer.
Do I need a diagnosis?
No. We will not ask you or your care partner for a diagnosis. Raising Voices operates with the belief that "a good dementia program doesn't talk about dementia." You are free to share or keep private whatever feels right to you.
I am not a singer and I can't read music... can I still join?
Yes! Every skill level is welcome and wanted! We will provide lyric sheets so you can follow along in the way that works best for you! Most of the songs are in 3 part harmony, so we will also provide practice CDs so you can work on your part at home.