Friends Academy Senior Concerts

Friends Academy Students Perform Music for Seniors

By Thomas Nothel

A special harmony echoed through the halls of the Regency Senior Center on Wednesday, May 21 as Lower School students from Friends Academy performed a heartfelt piano recital for residents as part of a new service initiative. Inspired by one student’s personal connection, the event blossomed into a joyful intergenerational gathering filled with music, smiles, and shared community spirit.

The idea was born when third grader Peter Tully’s grandmother moved into the Regency in January 2025. Peter, an avid piano student, performed there twice to great applause.

Seeing the joy his music brought to the residents, Peter’s family envisioned a broader recital, inviting his fellow classmates, many of whom also play piano. With enthusiastic support from Stella Shank, the Regency’s manager, and Friends Academy leadership, the plan took shape — and on recital day, it all came to life.

Ten students performed a delightful one-hour program featuring classical, folk, and cinematic pieces:

●     Peter Tully – Moonlight by William Gillock

●     Mason Shalbafian – America the Beautiful

●     Nicholas Vassilakos – Star Wars Main Theme by John Williams

●     Levi Younai – Arabesque by Burgmüller

●     Skylar Kelly – Kites / Forest Song

●     Quinn Kelly – Lavender Blues

●     Tyler Shroff – Für Elise by Beethoven

●     Pippa Keats – Ode to Joy by Beethoven

●     Andrew Zhang – Firefly by Nancy and Randall Faber

●     Camilla Lyu – Concert Time

Following the recital, students, seniors, and families gathered for cookies, graciously provided by Ann Marie Hegerty, the Regency’s Director of Activities. The room buzzed with connection, from residents as old as 103 to onlooking students as young as four — a powerful testament to the beauty of intergenerational bonding.

Principal Rik Dugan attended the event, expressing his heartfelt support for the young musicians and the importance of such service work in the Friends Academy community. “These children showed not only remarkable talent but also compassion and generosity,” he shared. “This is what a Quaker education is about — nurturing the Light within and using it to uplift others.”

Approximately 35 residents, 20 staff members, and 20 parents and children participated in the event. Residents remarked on the children’s performance with words like “remarkable,” “adorable,” and “what talent!” — clearly moved by both the music and the gesture behind it.

At Friends Academy, an independent school that serves age 3 through Grade 12, and rooted in Quaker values, service is a living practice. This recital was more than a performance; it was an act of giving — a lesson in empathy, community, and the power of sharing one’s gifts. By connecting across generations, the students not only brought joy but deepened their understanding of kindness and care.

As one resident said simply but eloquently, “They made their parents proud.”