Siena residents find camaraderie in music

When Bev Schewanick started organ lessons in fall 2000, she asked the instructor what it would take to provide lessons at Siena, an age-qualified village in Summerlin.

"I was told we needed five people to take complimentary lessons, and the store would provide the organ and teacher for free. At that time, Siena had approximately 100 homes occupied and I literally knocked on doors to get the five people required to get the lessons," Schewanick said.

With the approval of Siena management, an organ on loan from Fletcher Organ Studios was delivered to the social center four months later and the five students started their classes.

"By March, we all felt pretty good about the lessons, but we all had a horrible fear of playing in front of an audience," Schewanick said. "So, we decided to face our fear head-on and we asked the residents to come to a little mixer once a month to hear us play.

"At our first mixer, two residents showed up. We actually bribed (them) with soda and cookies ... to listen to us stumble through our songs."

As the students gained confidence, it was decided that each monthly mixer should have a theme. They soon were performing big band, patriotic, country and western, '50s, '60s, Broadway, and Christmas selections.

By last December, the audience had grown to 71 residents.

"Without any real planning, other than the theme and a lot of practicing, the mixers just seem to happen," Schewanick said. "Most of us just show up with our songs, a few decorations ... and we dress up to match the theme.

"In the past year, we all have had a lot of fun and we've made great progress thanks to our teacher, Amy Kaplan, who comes to Siena every Friday at 11 a.m. for our free lessons. We also thank our fellow residents who have helped many of us get over some of our fear of performing in front of an audience."

In January, the organ club became officially chartered and Schewanick was named president of the Siena Sharps & Flats.

Siena is a 665-acre community, in which at least one resident in each home must be no younger than 50 years of age.

Homes are available in six Italian-themed collections offering 18 single-story floor plans. The homes measure from 1,040 to 3,100 square feet and are priced from the $140,000s to the $650,000s.

The Portofino Collection is comprised of paired homes. Four attached floor plans range from 1,040 to 1,378 square feet and are priced from $144,500 and to $169,700.

Common amenities include an 18-hole, daily fee championship golf course that is open to all ages. Siena residents are given special rates and preferred tee times. The clubhouse is under construction and expected to open this month.

The 15,900-square-foot health and fitness center houses a 25-meter indoor pool and spa. There are also lighted tennis and bocce courts, an outdoor pool and spa, exercise equipment, sauna and steam rooms, a wellness center, and beauty salon and day spa.

Ground will be broken this summer for a community center with a dome-shaped lobby and grand ballroom. The facility will also house a cyber café, business center, arts and crafts, cards, and game rooms. It is scheduled to open in spring 2003. The interim social center features a computer lab, billiard and card rooms, and a sewing center. A full-time activities manager is on-site.

To tour the models, take Sahara Avenue or Interstate 215 to Town Center Drive then go south to Siena Monte Avenue. The sales office is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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