peter forêt's parlour songs music concerts for seniors
Performing over 250 shows a year since 2010, Peter Forêt is Eastern Ontario’s premier seniors’ entertainer. His 60 minute show features period costumes, skilled guitar playing, soulful singing, dry humour and an engaging personality.
The after-dinner family sing-along is a fond childhood memory that many of our seniors have in common. Unlike many entertainers in our region, my repertoire focuses solely on late 19th-early 20th century popular music, the kind of music that families would sing together, gathered around the piano, in the 1930’s, ’40’s and ’50’s.
“Parlour Songs” re-creates those wonderful childhood memories. “I haven’t heard those songs in years!” and “I knew the words to every song!” are typical comments received after a show. What better way to an afternoon than with coffee, dessert or an aperitif listening to or singing along with our region’s best guitarist, singer and storyteller.
About the show
“My set contains ‘old time’ music from the 1890’s through the 1940’s, songs that many of our seniors sang with their families when they were kids. I try to recreate that family atmosphere each and every show. Residents will often approach me after a show [with a smile and the occasional happy tears] recounting memories of their childhood, gathered around the piano after a family dinner and singing old-time favourites together. ‘You’ve made my day’…I hear that a lot.”
The 60 minute show has a relaxed and intimate feel, with plenty of interaction, eye contact and audience participation. Many local residences have been booking Peter for 8, 9, 10 years or more, and continue doing so to this day.
About Peter Foret
A full-time professional musician since 1972, Peter moved to Ottawa in 1982 and soon became one of the busiest musicians in the region. A highly skilled guitarist and versatile singer, he’s able to perform music that most seniors’ entertainers aren’t able to without computer-generated backing tracks, laptops and tablets.
Peter has played guitar for internationally known artists such as Martha Reeves [of “Dancing in the Street” fame], Alanis Morrissette, comedian Bob Newhart and impressionist Rich Little. In 2010 Peter performed for Canadian and international troops in Kandahar and Kabul [Afghanistan] and Dubai [United Arab Emirates] as part of a Canadian Forces Show Tour called “Task Force Afghanistan”.
repertoire some of my sing-along favourites
