3/16/2025 Senior Center Performance

Authored by Elena Chen

It was unfortunate that we were not able to visit on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day. However, we were at least able to visit the senior center on the 16th, the day before. When we arrived, the center was already adorned with bright green decorations. Some were glittery tinsel placed alongside other ornaments. Everywhere I looked, there were green and gold cutouts with phrases like "Happy Saint Patrick’s" and "Lucky." There was even a miniature hat on one of the tables!

While passing out programs, I met a very kind senior, Mary. She didn’t take a program, explaining that she couldn’t read. We had a pleasant conversation, during which Mary told me that although she couldn't read, she could hear very well, making music a significant part of her life. Throughout the performance, I could see her truly enjoying our pieces.

Today, Chloe Li was the host of the event. We had planned to start the performance at 2 PM, but the senior center's activity manager asked us to wait a few minutes so that a lady who loved our show could make it downstairs to join us. She mentioned that if the lady missed it, she would be very disappointed. Later, another staff member told us that many of the seniors had been talking about our visit for three days in anticipation! It was heartwarming to hear how much they looked forward to our performance.

At around 2:05 PM, Chloe Li kicked off the event, introducing our two guest performers for the day, Ray and Claire.

We started off with Ryan, who sang Lemon Tree by Fool's Garden and Big Fish by Zhou Shen. Big Fish is a Chinese song, and to match the theme, he wore a traditional Chinese outfit. Ryan’s voice was beautiful, and his performance was very impressive. After the show, a lady came up to us and said that Ryan’s performance was her absolute favorite of the day. Good job, Ryan!

Next, we had one of our guest performers, Ray Sun, who played The Night Ride on the piano. At just eight years old, Ray played his piece beautifully for his age, leaving a great impression.

Following Ray, Rien performed The Little White Donkey. This playful and charming piece was one of his favorite short piece and he really enjoyed, so he chose to perform it today for the seniors.

After Rien, Claire Gao, our second guest performer, played Chopin’s famous Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2. Not only did she perform the piece, but she also brought one of her own paintings inspired by the music. She explained to the seniors that although the nocturne sounds calm and gentle, it is in a major key, symbolizing a glimmer of light in the darkness. Her painting beautifully captured this contrast.

Chloe Li followed with two contemporary pieces from Nine Bagatelles. She played with excellent technique, and I particularly enjoyed her second piece, Ghost Mazurka, a modern reimagining of a famous Mazurka. In a few weeks, she would be traveling to Japan to perform at Suntory Hall in Tokyo, and her playing today demonstrated her remarkable focus and discipline.

After Chloe’s performance, it was my turn to play Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu. Since I would be performing this piece at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall in Japan in April, I was well-prepared and truly enjoyed playing it. There is a particularly sweet and peaceful section in this piece, and I hoped the seniors enjoyed it as a reminder to cherish every beautiful moment in life.

Lastly, Rien performed the final piece of the day, a contemporary work called Basso Ostinato. He would be performing this piece at Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on March 30th. The piece required an immense amount of energy, yet he played with such passion that it seemed he had enough to play it twice! Before the performance, he was worried that his contemporary piece wouldn’t be appreciated by most of the seniors, but it turned out to be a great success—the seniors gave him a huge round of applause. Anda, a lady we had met before who used to play the piano, once again approached Rien to express her gratitude and amazement at his incredible technique.

Before transitioning to the game portion of the event, we as usual, checked if any seniors had birthdays this month. This time, three seniors were celebrating, two of whom were present. We all sang Happy Birthday to them, accompanied by Rien on the piano. It's always a heartwarming moment!

After the show, we took a bow, and this time, the seniors even invited us to take photos with them.

Many seniors praised us for our talents, especially Ryan. After the show, he entertained them further by demonstrating some kung fu moves, delighting the audience and making them laugh. Mary also came over and expressed how much she loved our performance. She even sang a few songs for us! She told us she had been singing since she was three years old and knew many classic songs. One of the songs she sang was about a bear wandering in the woods—a simple yet popular tune from her time. She also had a conversation with Chloe, singing The Star-Spangled Banner, America’s national anthem.

We then helped the seniors move to the activity room for Bingo, one of their favorite games.

As always, we had a fantastic time playing Bingo with them. Anda, cheerful as usual, chatted with us throughout the game. A senior sitting beside her was the first to get a blackout, and when she won, Chloe and I cheered for her.

Next month, I hope to have just as much fun as I did this time, and maybe even more! I also look forward to talking with more of the seniors and hearing their wonderful stories.

Performers: Elena Chen, Rien Chen, Chloe Li, Ryan Wang

Guest performers: Ray Sun, Claire Gao

Game Hosts: Chloe Li, Ryan Wang, Ray Sun, Elena Chen, Rien Chen

Performance host: Chloe Li