Ken Gargaro’s Open House Introducing Encore Players & Encore Singers
It’s never too late to take the stage.
They say timing is everything… and one definition of a coincidence is “an accidental alignment of time, place, or situation that feels meaningful…”
I was invited to represent PMEA Council for Teacher Training, Recruitment, and Retention along with my PMEA District 1 colleagues Lucas Beaver and Cynthia Mancini at the Duquesne University Music Career Connect on October 27. At the seminar, we “bumped into” Dr. Ken Gargaro, founder of Pittsburgh Musical Theater (now retired). I’ve seen and yelled BRAVO at so many of his outstanding shows. Another retired music educator, Vito DiSalvo, wrote this excellent bio about his Western PA performing arts career: https://www.vitodisalvo.com/dr-ken-gargaro-bio.html
Gargaro’s current project is to form “a joyful theater and singing company for seasoned adults 55 and older.” To launch his Encore Players and Encore Singers, he is sponsoring an OPEN HOUSE information session on Wednesday, November 18 at the Vincentian Theater (8150 McKnight Road, McCandless).
Here is his flier. Please help spread the word throughout the Southwestern, PA choral, theater, and education community.
A man after my own heart, Gargaro is “in sync” with my philosophy and “soapbox” (I admit it – I am a nag) about seniors (especially retired musicians, singers, dancers, and actors) to intentionally fulfill meaningfully productive years of creative self-expression “living the dream” in retirement. See this blog-post about seniors participating in recreational music: https://paulfox.blog/2026/06/06/stamp-out-the-phobia-of-amateur-music-making/.
Next week (November 15), we are posting the article “Welcoming Adults Back to Singing” by guest blogger Liuba Doga from Singing Attitude. She’s “spot on” reinforcing this perspective and provides new insights to calm the fears of seniors returning to membership in a choral ensemble and “What will happen when I walk through the door?”
PKF
© 2026 Paul K. Fox
