High schoolers find power in performing music for seniors
Group sees its shows having a positive impact in the community
Vivian Wu was looking for a way to take a find relief from the pressures of performing as a student musician.
Playing cello in her school orchestra not only required practicing her craft, it meant tirelessly auditioning, performing and competing for the top spots in competitions around Houston.
But sometimes, the Awty International School junior just wanted to play her instrument for fun.
“I obviously think competition is a good thing … but I wanted to take a break,” Vivian said, and when she realized her musician friends felt the same way, she decided to create a group that would make performing fun and feel-good.
Last summer, Vivian, now 17, organized the Power of Music club at her school. The goal was
that the group would become “an alternate channel for young musicians to express their talents in a form that was less pressure and less stress” while also giving back to the community and reminding the elderly that they are not forgotten, Vivian said.
Now, the student-powered music group, which consists of 20 students from Awty and one vocalist from Bellaire High School, is becoming a musical presence in living rooms and activity rooms of the many senior and retirement communities around the city.
The club, which has been performing since November 2018, has had a total of 10 performances, ranging from jazz freestyles and voice solos to holiday seasonal tunes and popular covers with which the audience can identify.
Dalya Mawlawi, a 17-year-old vocalist in the group, said performing for the elderly has been a fulfilling way to interact with the community while doing something she loves.
“It’s a really great way to take a break from anything else. … It’s nice to go and understand that something I’m doing that seems so simple … is having a great effect on the audience,” Dalya said. “It feels really good. It always livens me up a little bit.”
In one case, Dalya said she was moved to tears while singing “You Are My Sunshine” — a crowd favorite, along with “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Hallelujah.”
“The whole audience knew all the words and everybody looked so happy,” Dalya said. “It made me really emotional. … I didn’t know I could affect people in that way.”
Audience members who have attended Power of Music performances have said they have felt just as touched, emphasizing how entertained and honored they feel that the high school students have decided to perform for them.
During a recent Saturday performance at St. Dominic Village retirement community, audience members could be seen clapping their hands and singing along with Power of Music’s bouncy renditions of holiday tunes like “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” and a jazzy rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock.”
“They brought joy. They put us in the Christmas spirit, and they let us know we’re not thrown out here all alone by ourselves,” said Willie Jean Birmingham, 90, who has lived at the village for eight months.
Althea Shackelford, 88, agreed, stating that the group of teenagers helped fill a day that had little activities and brought memories of their own younger family members.
“It’s nice to see young people doing something worthwhile,” said Shackelford said. “It reminds you of your grands and great (grandchildren).”
Though many of the senior citizens have been encouraging and praise the student musicians during their visits, Vivian admits that there have been some challenges. The club’s first performances were intimidating and, sometimes, disheartening, she said.
Only a handful of people, including students’ parents, attended the first few performances as some students were adjusting to managing stage fright and building their chemistry with other musicians during performances. It also wasn’t uncommon to find someone snoozing in the crowd, Vivian said.
But Vivian accepted the challenges and used them as motivation to do better, she said.
Since then, the student music organization has worked to improve their introductions and transitions between segments. They include sing-a-longs to keep the crowd engaged, and provide posters and promotional flyers with a “sneak peak” list of their sets to advertise to their audience ahead of time, Vivian said. As for people falling asleep — it still happens, but the group has learned not to take it personally.
“It is pretty common for at least one person to close their eyes and look like they’re not paying attention at all,” Vivian said. But often, she finds that her listeners show their enjoyment in subtle ways — by tapping their feel or clapping their hands. “Those are little details that make you realize that even though this person is physically disabled or slow in general, it doesn’t mean they’re not enjoying your performance.”
Today, the Power of Music has drawn in as many as 40 to 50 listeners during their performances — a sign that the group is slowly evolving from a school program to one that is more professional, Vivian said.
Her hope is to recruit more student musicians throughout the city, perform more frequently, and increase the group’s philanthropic efforts for both senior citizens and less fortunate student musicians to help with costs of instruments and pricey music lessons. One of her greatest ambitions for the group is to host a large fundraising concert at Miller Outdoor Theater, she said.
Vocalist Dalya said she encourages students from other schools to give back to the community — for the lives that it touches.
“It’s an important cause, and I’m happy I’m a part of it,” Dayla said.