Residents of Greenwood House’s Walter Street campus in Ewing were treated to their first live entertainment since on the onset of pandemic on May 2.
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Pep Band, TCNJ’s Synergy Dance Team, and event co-sponsor American String Teachers Association (ASTA) gave four consecutive outdoor concerts to all at Greenwood House’s Abrams Residence assisted living facility and at Greenwood House’s long-term care, dementia and rehabilitation units.
“This is an event that we’re excited to have. It’s our first concert since the beginning of last March,” Richard Goldstein, executive director of Greenwood House, said in a prepared statement.
Goldstein said Greenwood House is currently virus-free, and met all the criteria to hold an outdoor event.
“I heard a doctor on CNN say ‘we’re in the 7th inning stretch.’ The number of COVID cases is coming down, yet we’re still on guard,” he said in the statement.
The concerts were socially distanced, and residents and performers wore masks.
Led by student conductor Amulya Gijatura, the 15-member student pep band played five upbeat selections: Hooked on a Feeling, Hey Baby! Celebration, The Final Countdown, and the TCNJ Victory March.
Oboist Mackenzie Miller, also a violist, performed Minuets I and II from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 (transcribed for viola) as a representative of ASTA.
The college’s full pep band currently has 22 members.
Six new members of Synergy danced to prerecorded music in a piece entitled “Circus.” Led by head production manager Megan Kubinski, they are part of a 30-member ensemble led by student president Megan Finelli.
Abrams’s resident Sylvia A. said, “The music makes me feel like I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming of good times,” according to the statement.
Ninety-nine-year-old Marsha said, “The band played with vitality and the music was very upbeat. All the boys and girls are terrific,” according to the statement.
And Greenwood House’s resident Dolores, said, “I haven’t heard live music in over a year, so today made me feel really good. That’s what we all needed,” according to the statement.
Greenwood House worked with MK Hammerstein Creative who photographed and shot video of the event and invited members of the press.
Television news coverage was found on CBS 3 Philadelphia, NBC 10 and Fox 29.
Creative writing contributions for MK Hammerstein Creative was in part by Lori Goldstein.
