Lyme Light brightens others’ lives through music and dance
Chinese student group plays for senior groups and nursing homes
Montville — Music from violins, flutes, trumpets and cellos filled a sunlit room at the Orchard Grove Specialty Care Center on Monday afternoon.
One by one, student performers stepped into the room for a series of performances.
One teenager played a piece by Mozart and the traditional Chinese song of “Butterfly Lovers” on the violin. Another spun around the front of the room in a contemporary dance performance. Still another sang “On the Street Where You Live” from “My Fair Lady,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli.
About two dozen seniors from the center listened quietly, some smiling or tapping their feet, as the students performed, applauding after each act.
“It’s important to bring whatever you can to the table and say this is what I have to offer you — and they’re always really happy. Joy comes from everywhere, and you can bring people joy from the smallest things.”
JULIE TAN, 17, OF EAST LYME HIGH SCHOOL
“I hope you all had a really great time,” Jason Feng, 16, the show’s master of ceremonies, told the audience. “I know every single one of our performers did.”
The students performing Monday were from Lyme Light, a nonprofit group that performs music and dance at local senior centers and nursing homes.
Lyme Light formed almost three years ago through the Southeastern Connecticut Chinese School as a platform for teens to help the community, showcase their talents and learn how to perform in front of others, said Saihuan Zeng, a parent of one of the students.
Feng, a senior at Lyme-Old Lyme High School, said Lyme Light originated as a way to combine a passion for music and community service.
The group formed with just a handful of students, but now about 20 students from southeastern Connecticut, many from the East Lyme or Lyme-Old Lyme school districts, perform in the group. By the end of the summer, the group will have visited about 30 nursing homes or senior centers around the region.
“I think it’s really great how we’ve grown,” said Christine Jahn, 17, of East Lyme, who plays the cello and dances.
The students sing and play a variety of instruments, including saxophones, pianos, flutes, cellos, trumpets and violins. Ryan Xu of East Lyme High School plays the hulusi, a traditional Chinese instrument. Students also perform traditional Chinese dance and contemporary dance.
Many of the group’s members said they are motivated to bring happiness to seniors through music or dance.
“It’s important to bring whatever you can to the table and say this is what I have to offer you— and they’re always really happy,” said Julie Tan, 17, a violin player and senior at East Lyme High School.
“Joy comes from everywhere, and you can bring people joy from the smallest things,” she added, explaining that it doesn’t take a grand gesture or lots of money to help others.
Paul Chang, 16, a junior at East Lyme High School and pianist, said the audience is always appreciative when the group performs.
“You feed off the energy,” he said.
Some Lyme Light members met one another while attending classes at the Southeastern Connecticut Chinese School, where many now teach subjects from math to dance. The school, which began in the 1970s, conducts classes once a week at East Lyme High School and helps sponsor the Spring Festival, hosted by the Southeastern Connecticut Chinese Cultural Society.
Some members said they chose to play songs that seniors would have heard when they were younger, while others picked traditional Chinese songs or dress to share Chinese culture.
Lain-Yen Hu of East Lyme, a parent, said Lyme Light participants are mentoring younger children so the group can continue.
She said the group’s members not only develop their talents by performing, but also learn how to bring happiness to others.
“They really have a heart to give back to the community,” said Hu.
The number of performers varies by each event, but Monday’s events featured performances of cello by Christine Jahn and Jonathan Tan; violin by Brian Chen and Julie Tan; dance by Emily Tan; flute by Victoria Chen; piano by Paul Chang; trumpet by Mingfei Duan; saxophone by Eric Wu; and voice by Jason Feng.
The audience memberswere pleased.
“I think those children are wonderful,” said Eileen Bialowas, of Norwich, after the performance. “I could never have done that when I was their age.”
“I thought it was great,” she added. “It was so theatrical.”
More information is available atwww.ctlymelight.org.