Our fine, talented group of young musician volunteers have been busy this summer. Here is a summary of recent Bridging thru Music events from our youth volunteers:

Branson School student Jaden Sher has played piano at Bello Gardens multiple times, and will be playing at Atria Tamalpais August 13. 16 year old singer/ guitarist Sienna Alexandra really wowed them at Aegis Living in Corte Madera in June. Always a favorite, violinist Dheyan Lim along with pianist Jane Broderick performed at South Marin Health and Wellness. New volunteers William Chu (violin), and sisters Keilana (violin)  and Caelyn Eng (piano and violin) performed at Bello Gardens (see comments from Shelley at Bello, raving about their performances). New volunteer (and singer with a beautiful voice) Lyla Stanger performed jazz and pop songs at South Marin Health and Wellness. Opening the hour were sisters Rithisaa (violin) and Tanishkaa Nambi (piano and flute), who came all the way from Tracy, a distance of over 70 miles one way! Finally Arthur Musson sang a capella for the residents of South Marin Health and Wellness. 

On behalf of LITA and the Bridging thru Music program, we thank you! Music has so much power to inspire and uplift, and these young performers gave their time to make the joy happen.

“I keep hearing rave reviews about Sienna!”

— Jordana Berliner, Life Enrichment Director, Aegis Living

“We were astounded!!! Each of them are superb. And young! Very impressive! It’s not easy to come in and play for a group of strangers, let alone those who are more challenged. The group bowed and thanked us after their last song while we clapped away.
I have never!!
”

— Shelley Katz, Activity Director, Bello Gardens

Our talented music volunteers have been busy through December 2022 and early January 2023 with four more Bridging thru Music events. On 12/21 Dheyan Lim, Catalina Wood, and Boyi Hu brought their violins to Atria Tam in Novato to play a setlist of traditional Christmas music. The residents sang along to the entire set of holiday music! All 3 volunteers said what they liked best about their performance was being able to provide holiday cheer along with the singalong. Dheyan and Boyi are in the Marin Youth Orchestra, and Catalina is in Crescendo (another branch of the Youth Program).

On 12/13 our popular “house” band Where’s Ringo performed at Elegance Hamilton Hill in Novato. The Ringos are a 5 piece acoustic band that plays Americana and classic rock.

On 12/10 one of our newer volunteers Dani Adams, who’s day job is at Skywalker Sound, dropped in at Bello Gardens to play piano tunes, which included background music as well as Holiday songs to sing along to.

Finally on Jan 3 high-schooler Arthur Maisson sang songs for the residents of Bello Gardens in San Anselmo. Warm thanks to all of our Bridging thru Music volunteers for donating their time and musical talent!

“The kids were touched and humbled by the response from the residents. Of all the volunteering they did, this opportunity to give back ranked high up for the kids.”

— PC Chiang, parent of Dheyan Lim

As one of our newest Bridging thru Music volunteers, Sienna Alexandra believes that through music she is able to connect with the world and make it a happier place. And that is exactly what she did for the enraptured residents at Aegis Living in Corte Madera on November 19th. Fresh after singing the National Anthem at a boxing event, Sienna - a supremely  talented 16 year old student at Sacred Heart in San Francisco - performed At Last by Etta James, Valerie by Amy Winehouse, Come Together by The Beatles, If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys, and the National Anthem, as well as other songs. Music is her passion, and she plays guitar and piano as well as sings. She even has a couple of songs on Spotify! On behalf of all of us at LITA, thank you Sienna for spreading the joy of music!

Hear Sienna sing Come Together by The Beatles at Aegis

Listen to her songs on Spotify here

“Wow! Sienna was so amazing. The residents and staff were spellbound. Please thank her profusely for us, and she can come back anytime.”

— Jordana Berliner, Life Enrichment Director, Aegis Living

May and June 2022 have been busy for the Bridging thru Music program, with the Where’s Ringo band, singer Jeff Cleary, and violinist Dheyan Lim spreading the joy of music at Aegis Living in Corte Madera and South Marin Health and Wellness in San Rafael. In addition, Ned Ripple and Mark Higuera sang and played songs on guitar and ukulele at one of our recent Seniors in the Park events in May. The Ringos are a 5 piece acoustic band that plays Americana and classic rock: well-loved tunes such as Jambalaya, Folsom Prison Blues, Under the Boardwalk, Bye Bye Love, That’ll Be the Day, Return to Sender, and Kansas City. Jeff Cleary does a Sinatra/crooner act and draws from the Great American Songbook, singing classic swing tunes with some Elvis and Beatles thrown in. Dheyan Lim is a talented high school student who plays a variety of classical pieces on his violin, including Tchaikovsky’s Concerto in D Major- Canzonetta, and Corelli’s Sonata in D Major, as well as many others.

Thank you to all these musicians for donating their time and creative energy to help further LITA’s mission of enriching the lives of seniors!

“Thank you for the great show! Your band has won the hearts of the residents. They were talking about the music all evening.”

— Jordana Berliner, Life Enrichment Director, Aegis Living

“… he was AMAZING!! The residents loved him and his mom. ”

— Jordana, about violinist Dheyan Lim

14 year-old violinist Dheyan Lim, a freshman at Redwood High School and a member of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra, returned to South Marin Health and Wellness for a Holiday season performance in December, and this time he brought along some friends: fellow Redwood High students Tugdual Ricordel (violin), Boyi Hu (violin), and Jesse Deuel (viola) joined him for a repertoire of classical pieces and holiday songs. They performed quite a range of pieces: “Daisy, Daisy”, “Good King Wenceslas”, “Gavotte”, “Irish Faire'', “Silver Wood”, “L'Arlesienne”, “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”, the 1st movement of a viola concerto by Telemann, “Sarabande” by Carl Bohm, “Lalo-Symphonie Espagnole” mvmt 3, “Jupiter” (Holst), “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, and “O Christmas Tree”.

 Residents sang along, others moved their feet, and one resident even moved her arms like she was conducting an orchestra! Thanks again to Dheyan, Tugdual, Boyi, and Jesse for sharing all their musical gifts with confined seniors and spreading some much-needed holiday cheer.

“I thought that it was great that the residents sang along”

— Dheyan Lim

14 year-old violinist Dheyan Lim, a freshman at Redwood High School and a member of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra, wowed residents of South Marin Health and Wellness in Greenbrae CA with his wonderfully adept solo violin performance on Nov 6.  To the audience’s delight he played pieces by Kodaly, Thais, Bach, Tchaikovsky and, to top it off,  Gershwin’s “It Ain't Necessarily So” from Porgy and Bess and the Lalo Symphonie Espagnole Movement 3 (intermezzo). This was Dheyan’s first time volunteering for our Bridging thru Music program, and he said that the experience of volunteering was satisfying and it made him feel like he was able to spread joy and happiness. The residents loved his performance and definitely want him back. We can't thank him enough as he is a rare find! 

“My residents LOVED him and his performance. We were just in a manager meeting and they were saying how amazing he was and how much everyone loved him and his beautiful playing. If he ever wants to come back he is always welcome. He has a fan base here now.”

— Jeremy Carson, Activities Director, So. Marin Health and Wellness Center

Musician and singer volunteer Mary Keydash, in her incarnation as the Fall Fairy, led a sing along at Marin Post Acute in San Rafael on Oct 11. Playing her ukulele and wearing a fabulous costume on a breezy, beautiful, sunny afternoon in the courtyard, Mary led 12 residents plus staff through renditions of “Ain’t She Sweet”, “Red River Valley”, “You Are My Sunshine” and many other old favorites. After going through her setlist, she took audience suggestions and everyone sang an a capella version of “Amazing Grace”. Thank you, Fall Fairy!

“One of the residents entertained us with a solo rendition of “Danny Boy.” It was fabulous!”

— Mary Keydash, aka "The Fall Fairy"

(Updated Nov. 2) To keep our friends connected to Marin’s natural beauty and history during this pandemic, we had to do our Seniors in the Park program online. While this keeps everyone safe from Covid, it doesn’t compare to actually being out in the great outdoors. Now that our seniors are fully vaccinated, Seniors in the Park is back! For Novato’s Creekwood Senior Home residents, July 23rd was a cause for celebration as they were able to join us at San Rafael’s Lagoon Park for the first Seniors in the Park event in almost 2 years. There were lots of smiling faces, tapping toes and snapping fingers to the heartfelt singing and playing by ukulele player Nawelo Shapiro. Generously sharing Hawaiian culture and history, she also educated us on the ukulele's origins. We love you Nawelo! (pronounced, ‘NaVelo’)

The following week, San Rafael’s Pineridge residents were reunited with another friendly uke-playing character, Ned Ripple, who this time played guitar and brought along his kindly music playing friend Mark. They played a session of vintage, upbeat music that completely changed the demeanor of a particular resident from a very serious look on her face to a lighthearted beam. Happiness among the group was in abundance! And to top it off on Sept. 15th, Mary Keydash brought her ukulele and percussion instruments and led a sing along with residents of Three Home Village.

Complementing the picnics were several of our dedicated volunteers, as well as some friendly furry ones. An afternoon “out of the house” is exactly what was needed and we look forward to taking our friends to many more of them!

(Many thanks to LITA’s Tanya Mendoza for coordinating these events and for this article)

“Relief from the long lockdown was apparent through the smiling faces of our resident friends. We even received a thank you card of gratitude from one of the facilities for this mood lifting summertime outing.”

— Tanya Mendoza, LITA Volunteer Coordinator

For seniors in Marin’s care communities, hearing familiar music from the past can help them feel more connected, and can even help those with memory issues or dementia. Balladier and crooner Jeff Cleary sings songs from the Great American Songbook popularized by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett, as well as well-loved standards such as “Yesterday”, “Can't Help Falling In Love”, and “Stand By Me”. On July 19 and 20 he brought his musical act to two of Marin’s senior care centers: Novato Healthcare and Greenwood Assisted Living In San Rafael. The residents sang along, swayed, tapped to the music, and danced, and had a great time, especially after enduring a year and half of lockdown with no live musical performances. Thanks, Jeff!

“Our residents just loved him. They knew the songs and he had their full attention. They have asked for him to come back! ”

— Lisa DeBartolo -Greenwood Assisted Living

For the first time since February 2020, LITA’s star youth performer Natalia Betzler played an indoor performance at Novato Healthcare Center. Natalia reported that it felt amazing to finally return to playing music for residents after over a year of the covid lockdown. Her set included “New York State of Mind”, “Oh Darling!”, “Summertime”, “Strangers in the Night”, “Fly Me to the Moon”, “Don’t Know Why”, “Summer Wind”, and others. The residents sang along, danced, and had a wonderful time with what proved to be an emotional day. The residents begged her to come back, and she will return for another engagement August 8th. Click below to hear her perform “Oh Darling” by The Beatles. Thank you, Natalia!

“It was so nice! People sang and danced!!! I was about to cry when I saw this lady, she danced at least 4 songs! ”

— Olga Betzler

“I felt that they (the residents)...were really ready to have someone to perform for them and to interact with other people. They have been so isolated during this time, even more than us. I can’t wait to return soon and I thank LITA for all they do!”

— Natalia Betzler

The Pete Croughan Award is presented each year to a LITA of Marin volunteer who exemplifies the unconditional love and compassion that was Pete Croughan's life. This year LITA of Marin is pleased to present this award to the Bridging thru Music volunteer band “Where’s Ringo?”.

Where’s Ringo band members are Bruce Wilmott on vocals, who also happens to be a PGA Golf Pro, Cathy Wilmott on vocals, Bruce Friedberg on ukulele and accordion, Anthony Parber on bass, and Doug Martin on ukulele, slide guitar and pedal steel. Each of these musicians has had a demanding career, but their passion is bringing joy to residents through music.

The Where’s Ringos have played at Creekwood Care Facility in Novato, Greenwood Assisted Living in San Rafael, Aldersly in San Rafael, AlmaVia Assisted Living in San Rafael, The Tamalpais in Greenbrae and others. In April they played for 3 different facilities in one week- and they called it their “World Tour”! In Sept 2020 after facilities started allowing outdoor performances, they played at Creekwood in Novato outside under a canopy, with speakers placed inside the building so that the residents could enjoy the music safely. 

Because of their selfless dedication to bringing musical joy to senior care communities, LITA is proud to present them with the Pete Croughan Award this year! 

While we are getting close to being able to safely resume in-person visits (yay!), LITA volunteers are continuing to engage with Three Home Village residents twice a week using Zoom and other technology through our wonderful pilot program, "Virtual Connections."

Over a dozen high school students from The Marin School brought a great deal of enthusiasm to Three Home Village as they introduced their beloved pets to the residents during a recent Virtual Visit, with students sharing and telling their pet stories, and residents asking a variety of questions about each pet. Residents have also enjoyed listening to poetry, St. Patty's limericks, horoscopes, playing trivia, (even singing some of the song answers!), Table Topics questions, holiday, and current event discussions.

 Besides bringing much-needed connection and interaction to residents, the project also allows LITA to identify the best strategies for engaging digitally, best zoom settings, and which equipment provides the best audio and visual experience for residents, especially since many of our friends have hearing and vision challenges or loss.

Until such time that our wonderful volunteers can safely reunite with our friends in person, LITA will continue to engage digitally and are looking for volunteers who would like to engage with residents virtually. The pandemic has us all living the “when life gives you lemons…” moments - and LITA's making lemonade!

(Thanks to Ellie Chamberlain, Tanya Mendoza, and Barbara Brown for contributing to this article).

We are so proud to announce that LITA’s Bridging thru Music musician Natalia Betzler was one of five recipients of the 2020 CVNL (Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership) Heart of Marin Youth Volunteer of the Year award! She won for her extraordinary and heartfelt contributions on behalf of Marin’s seniors through LITA’s Bridging thru Music program, as well as her Letters of Comfort outreach campaign. During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, she really came through for confined senior residents of long term care facilities by producing and performing many virtual video concerts, which you can view on our YouTube channel. On behalf of all of us at LITA, congratulations and thank you for all your fine work in bringing some welcome positivity to a very difficult year! See Natalia the moment she won and hear her acceptance speech in the video below.

Our first annual Holiday Music Virtual Concert on YouTube is available here, featuring well-loved holiday classics performed especially for Marin's senior residents of long-term care facilities by LITA's Bridging thru Music volunteers! Many thanks to Jeff Cleary, Daria, students of Caylia Chaiken, Tim Cleary, and Natalia Betzler for their wonderful contributions. Enjoy! (Even LITA’s Music Coordinator Rob Thomure joins in the fun but he forgot to wear his Santa hat).

And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

LITA’s Bridging thru Music volunteer musicians will be posting performances of well-loved holiday songs on our YouTube channel for senior residents, and our first one is ready for your listening pleasure. Natalia Betzler, our star volunteer youth singer and musician, has made a wonderful sing along video of the classics holiday songs Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Winter Wonderland, All I Want for Christmas is You, The Christmas Song, and Here Comes Santa Claus. Each song has lyrics so you can sing along. Check it out below, and here is the YouTube link to the video.

And Santa’s Bridging thru Music elves are busy working on more so stay tuned and please subscribe to our YouTube channel.