Lorraine Marks-Field, a Boca Raton music teacher and conductor, has led an intergenerational orchestra for more than 20 years. Its members range in age from 2 to 97.
Marks-Field said she started the group after noticing that her young students were having fun at rehearsal but were not improving as quickly as she wanted. She thought older adults sitting and practicing alongside them after school could encourage them to keep playing and stay involved. The orchestra now draws people of many faiths, ethnic backgrounds and income levels, she said, and some members have special needs.
The group rehearses weekly on Thursday nights at an assisted living community, where some residents are wheeled in to listen. Marks-Field said the performances bring the room together. The orchestra stages three to four themed concerts each season across a range of genres. Marks-Field is one of the few female conductors in the country, according to the station. Her husband manages the orchestra.
WPBF 25 named Marks-Field its November Community Champion and presented her with a $525.25 check.
