Care home residents break record for world’s oldest choir with average age of 94
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A choir made up of 17 elderly care home residents has become the world’s oldest as members have an average age of 94. The choir, known as the Prime Timers, are aged between 87 and 99, and sang together at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands, on Thursday to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the oldest choir in the world.
The previous record was held by St John’s House in York, which broke the record in 2013 and was made up of 13 members with an average age of 91. The record attempt was supported by Music for Dementia, a charity campaigning to make music a key part of dementia care, and arts organisation Intergenerational Music Making (IMM), a charity aiming to connect people from different generations through music.
The Prime Timers joined singer and Music for Dementia ambassador Tony Christie to sing Silent Night and performed traditional festive songs including Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, all while raising money for charity. The choir also sang an original song named Christmas Through the Years, which was co-written with IMM and released for £1 on online music distribution service Bandcamp to raise money for Warwickshire Reminiscence Action Project, a local dementia charity.
IMM founder Charlotte Miller said writing the Prime Timers’ Christmas song was a “moving experience”. “Writing Christmas Through The Years with Runwood’s residents and staff has been a truly moving experience,” she said. “It’s a beautiful reminder of how music can transcend generations, sparking conversations, evoking cherished memories and fostering a profound sense of connection.”.
