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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. |
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Director’s Corner:
I attended a music program at Fox Chapel ES on January 15. There were drum solos, a chorus that sang winter songs (hoping for lots of snow in February for weekday closure of schools), an orchestra that played beautifully, and a band that played bright, upbeat music. The student performers were so excited to share their songs with the younger elementary school children and their parents. I was so honored to be there.
This was one of the first schools where we brought the Piano Pals and Guitar Pals offerings of free music lessons during the afterschool program. Our dedicated teens come to an elementary school to teach children whose parents cannot afford private lessons. They are very impacted by sharing their knowledge and time: teens see the difference in their students as the year unfolds. This opportunity builds both skills and confidence among the young children. Clearly, this is a win-win opportunity for both the children and teens.
Upon the advice of one of our board members, we have copyrighted Piano Pals, Guitar Pals, and The Reading Express. A prominent D.C. law firm prepared the legal work and submitted the copyright coverage for these unique ideas that have become a substantial contribution to these schools and Housing Opportunities facilities: Clopper Mill ES, Fox Chapel ES, Gaithersburg ES, Brown Station ES, Tanglewood HOC Apartments in Silver Spring, and Stewartown HOC Homes in Gaithersburg.
We thank the patient, industrious adults who volunteer their time and energy to support both mentors and young students. We also are so very grateful to the school staff: principals, community advocates, assistant principals, custodians, and cafeteria managers. After working through “lunch rigors,” the lunch managers prepare very delicious and healthy snacks for each child and mentor in the programs. The snacks are provided by the county schools under the auspices of the federal government. I will never know how all the school staff continue to welcome us with smiles and assistance to set up and maintain music classes after a day of drama and challenge at school.
I am so very honored to know such amazing people of all ages (age 6 to adult) who perform music for seniors, hospital staff, patients, and their stressed families and who teach children whose lives are forever changed. The Tacy Foundation families inspire me every day.
Thank you all for your support for our youth and their families as they inspire the world with their messages of hope. Youthful dedication, music, heartfelt art, kind and loving words for others through cards, stories, and conversations, and the gift of “time” for those who cannot leave their life’s situation: these are the medicines we offer for healing the world, soul to soul.
Charlotte Tacy Holliday, Founder & Executive Director
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The December 20 performance at Howard General Hospital, featuring performers Claire Lee and Declan Jenkins.
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A Musical Afternoon to Remember
Joseph Shen
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On December 14, Harmony at Chantilly was filled with the joyful sounds of the season. Nine dedicated performers from the Tacy Foundation gathered to host a special holiday concert, bringing warmth and music to our senior community.
The program featured a mix of familiar faces and new talents. We were delighted to welcome new volunteers Heidi and Jessica (vocals) and Joseph (saxophone), who performed alongside our long-term volunteers. Together, they filled the room with Christmas tunes like “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
The event was well attended, with dozens of residents joining in the concert. The seniors greeted returning performers like old friends and gave our new volunteers an enthusiastic welcome. The afternoon turned into a sing-along, with residents sharing how much it meant to experience the gift of live music during the holidays.
To our volunteers: thank you for your time, your talent, and for making the holidays feel truly special for our senior community!
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From left to right; Heidi, Bethany, Joseph, Emily, Sarah, Cameron, Kevin, and Nathaniel performed at Harmony at Chantilly, an assisted living facility, on December 14.
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Cards of Support and Sympathy
Cards Team
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In the fall, Tacy Foundation volunteers sent cards of support and sympathy to the Annunciation School in Minneapolis, which lost a child in a random shooting. Our children sent beautiful messages to support the families of this school.
An alumni, parent, and grandparent wrote the messages pictured. Thank you to each volunteer.
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Holiday Performances
Yuzhe (Julian) Chen
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Prior to winter break, I had the opportunity to perform at the Brightview Great Falls with several musicians from the Tacy Foundation. We played Haydn and Mozart, Horowitz and Chopin, and Beethoven and Reshetilov. We finished with Christmas favorites like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells.” The performance made us all feel a lot of empathy and connection. We had an opportunity to touch the seniors’ hearts and share our passion for music with them.
Nearing Christmas, we also had a performance at Brightview Grosvenor. Performing at Brightview Grosvenor was a very heartwarming experience. We learned how important it is to form a human connection among all of us. We learned how important it is to bring hope and joy to our community. After the performance, we handed out Christmas cards made by the Tacy Foundation and QR codes that the seniors could scan to listen to recordings made by other Tacy Foundation volunteers.
Bringing peace and joy to everyone moved us all very deeply. I have always believed that music can speak directly to the heart in a way everyone understands. It was very fulfilling for all of us to contribute to the community through music and to connect with the audience.
If you’re a musician looking to make a difference, I’d love to see you at Great Falls or Grosvenor for the upcoming February or March performances. I hope the experience will touch your heart as much as it did ours.
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Back row: Grace Li, Andrew Lin, Nora Ma, Brian Yu, and Julian Chen; front row: Bohr Chen and Fermi Chen.
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Three Perspectives on a Performance
Katie Wang, Emma Hahn, and Sarah Sage
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Katie’s perspective:
The Tacy Foundation has held regular music concerts at Suburban Hospital since October 2023, and I’ve been volunteering there since the program began. In the beginning, there were not many participants; often only me and my brother, Sean. At first, I felt nervous about performing. With the steadfast support of Ms. Holliday, the program has grown over the years beyond just concerts and turned into a meaningful journey in which we support one another, spread happiness, and grow together through music. I was fortunate to become the chief intern, helping to coordinate and organize the events. Later, with Emma by my side in sharing the internship, I overcame my nervousness and began to truly enjoy every performance, deeply appreciating the warmth and encouragement we received from the audience.
This journey has been truly meaningful to me, as it has allowed me to connect with others through music and work together to make our community a better place. With every concert we hold at the hospital, we continue to grow together through music. My experience coordinating and performing at Suburban Hospital has shaped me and taught me important life lessons about growth, responsibility, and kindness. I truly hope our concerts continue to grow and that we can brighten people’s days with each performance.
Emma’s perspective:
People rarely plan to stop in a hospital hallway. Yet when music plays, people pause to listen and their tense expressions loosen. In an otherwise stressful environment, I notice calm for a few moments.
My name is Emma Hahn, and I have been volunteering with the Tacy Foundation since I started middle school. Around December 2024, I discovered Suburban Hospital, where I have been volunteering as a chief intern ever since. Before I began volunteering, orchestra concerts, in which I played to display preparation and precision, were sometimes stressful, as I had to meet the expectations of teachers and the audience. However, at Suburban Hospital, I was able to showcase pieces I enjoyed as an act of service. My experience deepened my understanding of how music comforts people as I witnessed the joy brought to myself and others while playing music.
Every other week, I look forward to the pieces performed by fellow volunteers and the new people I will meet in the hospital. In the future, I hope to share my experience with others, helping them discover how meaningful music can be.
Sarah’s perspective:
Performing with the Tacy Foundation has shown me that music is more than just something nice to listen to — it can genuinely connect people. Playing at Suburban Hospital has reminded me that even small moments of music can bring comfort and joy to someone who needs it. Through my participation, I’ve grown not only as a musician but also as a person. These performances have helped me understand the value of giving back to the community in a way that’s both meaningful and personal.
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From left to right: Sarah Sage, Emma Hahn, Katie Wang, and Charlotte Holliday at a January 17 concert at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda.
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Educational mission: Foster youth development through music, story and mentoring
Philanthropic mission: Empower youth to discover and use their gifts in service to others
Social mission: Build community partnerships and create intergenerational connections
Whom We Serve
Seniors
Children
Teens
Service members
Veterans
Injured/sick
Economically disadvantaged
Individuals who want to serve
How We Serve (Programs)
Live music concerts
Reading Express®
Piano Pals®
Guitar Pals®
Composers’ Circle
Music USBs
Musical equipment
COVID projects through video, email, cards, puzzles for outreach to the community
Charlotte Holliday, Founder and Executive Director
Michael Tacy and Zoe Bell, Graphic Editors
Michael Favin, Chief Editor
Donations are appreciated. All adult and teen staff are volunteers. No salaries or benefits. Every dollar you donate goes to supplies for all projects offered to the community.
Thank you!
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