"Apollo Club: Brothers in song"

''You don't need a psychiatrist if you can sing." That's the unofficial philosophy of the Apollo Club, a men's choir founded in 1871 that has made its mission providing music to retirement homes and any other institutions where there might be people who enjoy their mix of standards and old favorites.

The group is a close-knit tribe of that meets every Tuesday to rehearse at the Harvard Musical Association on Chestnut Street.

New members are often ''found" by the Apollo Club via serendipity. John K. Dineen, an attorney at Nutter, McClennan & Fish, recalled when he first learned of the club.

''I was walking by the Church of the Advent on Brimmer Street and heard singing, and it was the Apollo Club," said Dineen, adding that he was in his first year of law school, and that he has lived on Pinckney, Lime and now Beacon Street. ''I heard that they met on Tuesdays at the Harvard Musical Association."

This year Dineen marks his 51st year in the Apollo Club, and he has done his part in helping find new members.

Anthony Polito, a professor at Suffolk Law School and onetime Bowdoin Street resident, is a relative newcomer.

''I went to one concert in 2001," said Polito. ''John [Dineen] asked if I was looking for a psychologist. I said 'No'. John replied that 'If you were to sing on a regular basis, your disposition would be so much better you wouldn't need one.'"

Polito found this logic so convincing that he joined and is now president of the club.

Another member and Beacon Hill resident, Paul Finnegan, describes himself with a droll wit as ''Another Dineen, not a victim but a protege, as in all things in life."

''Thirty years ago I was asked [to join] by a professional colleague, who was one of the most truly, truly stuffy people I have met," said Finnegan. ''I thought 'I don't want to belong to any club that would have him.'"

Then Finnegan found himself singing with Dineen at a recent Christmas party. ''I kicked myself that I didn't join when it was suggested 30 years ago because the men are truly extraordinary. If a relative dies, for example, the support for the men in this group is overwhelming."

Aside from the friendship and savings in psychiatrist fees that singing brings its members, the club's main mission is to bring music to retirement homes and private institutions. ''The club focuses on glee club songs, barbershop and four part harmony with some Broadway songs and even opera," said Polito.

One recent concert was on a bitterly cold night at the Pine Street Inn women's shelter. The Inn was a warm refuge for all its guests, and adding to the holiday cheer was the Apollo Club, entertaining the crowd with a mellifluous blend of holiday songs and old standards.

''The one thing that brings everyone together is song," said Polito, referring to their performances at various events, including retirement homes. ''It's fun for us to sing and it's songs that they remember and they get nostalgic. People get dressed up, and in some cases couples treat it as a date."

''Usually there are social [gatherings] afterwards where we meet some extraordinary people," said Finnegan. ''They get a kick out of talking with us afterwards. I always come away with a lifted spirit."

And the last note? The club's mixture of friendship and public service brings comfort and joy to both singers and audience, and not just on performance nights.

''On Tuesday nights I think it would be nice to go home and have a beer, then I go [to rehearsal] and it lifts my spirits for the rest of the week," said Dineen.

The Apollo Club will hold its Christmas Concert today, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St. (at Downtown Crossing). The performance will feature a program of barbershop, Broadway, opera and holiday songs. For tickets call 617-482-6439, and visit www.apolloclub.org for more information.

SIDEBAR

The Harvard Musical Association on Chestnut Street is where the Apollo Club rehearses on Tuesday evenings. Aside from a small sign and a large wrought iron lyre in a window, the building is a mystery to many long-time residents.

The association is a private club whose members are devoted to classical music. It was founded in 1837 by a group of Harvard University graduates, and despite early overtures to Harvard (which were rebuffed), the name remains its only link with the university.

The building, once a private residence, has been converted to a quiet musical oasis for its members. There are two performance halls with pianos available to members and students on a limited basis, and frequent chamber music performances are open to HMA members. The building houses a music library that is available to serious scholars with references from members or universities.

The HMA encourages the appreciation of classical music in the public arena through several awards. For example, it offers the High School Achievement Award to young musicians ages 14 to 19 who perform in the classical style, and the Arthur W. Foote prize to help launch professional careers in classical music. Boston area organizations are invited to apply for its community awards that range from $5,000 to $10,000. Recent awards have included the commission of new works, artist-in-residence programs, and special performances by an organization.

For further information call 617-23-2897 or visit www.hmaboston.org.