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Feel the Beat: Connecting Through Music in Marin County

Feel the beat | The Tamalpais Marin, music performance, woman cellist

Music has the power to connect individuals of different backgrounds and generations. Musicians and music enthusiasts will feel right at home in our Marin County retirement community, a place to nurture your passion for music.

And it’s not simply your standard chamber music; all genres of music liven the halls. We’re talking jazz and rock and roll, classical symphonies, folk, and world fusion. 

You might even hear a mariachi band playing for a festive Cinco de Mayo celebration. You may even see residents participating in a sound bowls (also known as Tibetan or Himalayan singing bowls) group, which may use metal or crystal bowls to deepen meditation and promote relaxation. 

Music is Important at The Tamalpais

Look, Mick Jagger is 80, and there ‘ain’t no stopping him’! It’s the same for residents; there’s no stopping them, either. At The Tamalpais, people continue to grow at all ages and experience joy along the way.

Because people don’t reach a certain age and automatically lose their love of thrilling Broadway show tunes or rock and roll songs that make you want to shake what you’ve got, it’s not a requirement that you only listen to Chopin, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff after retirement. The Tamalpais is a community of young-at-hearts who Don’t Stop Believin’ (in the power of music) because everyone loves the classic hits they grew up with.

And though there certainly is an appreciation for classical music at The Tamalpais–a wonderful string quartet recently performed–the community staff knows that not every resident has the same tastes or experience with music. So whether they prefer to enjoy live shows at a community event, attend outings to Bay Area venues, or perform themselves for the community, there is something musically for everyone at The Tamalpais Marin. 

Even for folks whose talent is limited to playing the radio, trips to the local theater to see Broadway shows are available, such as the recent outing to see Guys and Dolls and the upcoming trip to see Evita

Musicians and non-musicians find it fun to attend a drum circle and participate in keeping the beat, something everyone can do.

One of the most fun events at The Tamalpais is the monthly happy hour, which is always well-attended and features various acts, from sizzling hot rock and roll bands to dazzling jazz performances. 

The Gold Standard in Entertainment

Recent shows have included The Lee Trio, an award-winning piano group of three virtuosic performers on piano, cello, and violin. One reviewer described them as “making pure magic.” They are considered one of the premier chamber ensembles on the international stage. 

Frederick Moyer, pianist extraordinaire who has played at Carnegie Hall and who the New York Times has described as, “First Class…his playing is clean, unmannered and full of ideas and intelligence,” makes a trip to the West Coast annually to perform at The Tamalpais.

This is top-notch entertainment–that’s what The Tamalpais is all about. Lynn Callender, a resident who studied music herself and is a singer, pianist, and teacher on the Marin Symphony board, sums it up this way: “The community likes quality. We get choruses, and these are not just any choruses; they have to be of quality. Heather Harris, Director of Wellness and Enrichment, puts together our program with all the different presentations. She’s very savvy, she knows quality,” Lynn said.

With wide-ranging musical events, residents continue enjoying their favorite tunes and have the chance to experience new styles. Lynn added, “When you come here, you’re just moving to a new neighborhood, so why shouldn’t you be able to enjoy the same things you always have? Whether it’s going to museums, performing for an audience, or going to the symphony?”

As Lynn also mentioned, music is uplifting, fulfilling, and comforting—things we all need at every age!



The hills fill my heart with the sound of music / 

my heart wants to sing every song it hears / 

What’s the song that makes your heart skip a beat? 

Live Life to Your Own Tune

Make Memories and Melodies

Dive Into the Rhythm of Retirement

Enjoy the Harmony of Community