From easing physical pain to combating mental health issues, the therapeutic properties of music are abundant. The Tacy Foundation is a local organization that holds this belief at its core. “The Tacy Foundation empowers children and teens to share hope and joy with hospital patients, military veterans, senior citizens and disadvantaged youth through performances, music recording projects and music mentoring programs,” according to their mission statement.
Piano teacher Charlotte Holliday first conceptualized the idea while playing a card game with her family. The cards came with random questions, and the one that Holliday drew asked what is the one thing she would do in her life if there were no limits. “I just said offhand jokingly [that] I would really love to start a foundation, nonprofit, for kids in music,” recounted Holliday.
It was not until her best friend was diagnosed with cancer and her husband fell ill a few years later, that Holliday had the idea of making music recordings to include in gift bags for recovering patients from the Hopkins Cancer Center in Baltimore. Using one of her student’s studios, she and 45 students recorded 108 songs over one weekend. They made 500 CDs at the time, which depleted her bank account, Holliday recalls in jest. She inspired participating students’ parents, who encouraged her to start a foundation for youths to record and perform for those who could benefit most from music’s healing.
Holiday began the process of founding the nonprofit. “It was so hard to do,” she explains. Her daughter assisted with the paperwork and legal process to build a foundation. Even after starting up the organization, Holiday faced the tedious process of obtaining copyright permission to play pieces that were not in the public domain.
In the initial recording, Holliday approximates that there were around 45 students, but soon after, the organization expanded to over 400 active volunteers. So far, live performances have been the Tacy Foundation’s most successful program. “We are [performing in] at least 25 senior facilities every month…[and] hospitals are asking the foundation to go play,” Holliday said enthusiastically. “There are many stories of people who are just really touched by the presence of a young person in front of them playing music.”
Winston Churchill High School sophomore Tiffany Lu has played piano for over ten years and performed twice at Carnegie Hall. Weekly performances at senior homes allowed her to meet a new community and perform outside of competitions. “I get to perform for people and let them enjoy my music,” she said. For other students, regardless of their music level, live performances are an avenue to earn SSL hours that are necessary for high school graduation.
Another program Holliday speaks fondly of is Piano Pals, where volunteers teach piano to kids in underserved areas. Growing up, Holliday was a competitive pianist, but her parents did not have the means to continue her lessons. “There were six kids in the family and my father lost his job and his health,” she said. Fortunately, Holliday was able to continue her piano lessons with the help of a charitable organization that offered to pay. “I wanted to reach out to those children and extend the privilege of learning music because it saved me.” As of 2023, the Tacy Foundation serves four schools. “Music is the undergirding of learning,” Holliday said. “The parents want their kids to study music and the waitlist can be long.”
The successful Piano Pals program later expanded to serve elders in senior communities. “I love the music and my piano teacher is a delight,” one member currently enjoying her experience with the Piano Pals for Seniors service said. “It’s a beautiful challenge and I enjoy even the small progress that I’m making.” Piano lessons not only provide the gift of music but also mitigate memory loss issues and help seniors remain mentally sharp. The rewards are beyond learning or teaching music—the program bridges the two generations together as students learn patience and empathy, and their senior counterparts benefit from socialization and creativity with weekly lessons.
Faber Piano Adventures, a music curriculum company, has generously provided books to the Tacy Foundation. The books follow a suggested syllabus, but student mentors are responsible for creating individualized lesson plans. However, Holliday admits being a Piano Pal mentor is a commitment, and not every student can easily carve out a block of time regularly.
As for future plans, Holliday says they are trying to expand to meet the increasing demands for their services. The facilities where the Tacy Foundation serves are mostly in Montgomery County and Northern Virginia, with growth to Frederick, Prince George and Howard County. “It takes a legion of kids because the waitlist [of those seeking the foundation’s services] is so long,” says Holliday.
The goal for the Tacy Foundation is always to spread joy through music. In Holliday’s words, “the real goal is to implant in every [young person’s] psyche and heart the gift of philanthropy.”
Written by Huan Changvu of Winston Churchill High School
Photo Courtesy of Flickr