PITTSBURGH - Dec. 22, 2020 - Callie Stoltz has played the violin for nearly as long as she can remember. The Pine-Richland High School junior started playing at age 3.
She's learned how much music can lift the spirits of both the performer and the audience. Stoltz also appreciates the impact a performance might have when the audience is comprised of seniors, especially those who have had to contend with the daily COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions associated with a pandemic.
"I know that personally, being quarantined and spending so much time at home has been very hard for me and others, especially during the holiday season," Stoltz said. "I am sure that for seniors in these communities it must be very difficult feeling isolated from others."
"I want to do anything I can to help brighten their spirits, and I think Christmas is a perfect time to do that," she said.
The 16-year-old has volunteered to perform virtually for seniors at IntegraCare, which operates 11 senior living communities in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. Her father, Eric Stoltz, is Executive Vice President of IntegraCare.
Eric Stoltz said the virtual performances were entirely Callie's idea. She worked with IntegraCare LifeStyles & LifeStories Director Butch Cassiday to coordinate the performances with the assistance of Matt McDowell of IntegraCare's IT team.
"This is an incredible act of kindness and caring for our seniors," Cassiday said.
Callie's first virtual performance was well-received by senior residents and team members at Hunters Woods at Trails Edge in Reston, Virginia. She had a second virtual performance at Magnolias of Lancaster, a memory care community in Pennsylvania.
The initial performance has been downloaded to IntegraCare's YouTube channel to provide residents another opportunity to watch.
"I play a lot of classics like 'Joy To the World,' 'Deck the Halls' and 'Silent Night,'" Callie Stoltz said. "I also have a few Hanukkah songs included. Then, I mixed in some selections from movies like 'Frosty the Snowman,' 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' 'Home Alone,' and 'Miracle on 34th Street.'"
After her time at Pine-Richland High School in suburban Pittsburgh, Callie is interested in studying political science or international relations.
"I started playing the violin when I was 3, so I've been playing for over 13 years now," said Stoltz, who previously performed live at IntegraCare's Pines of Mount Lebanon community a few years ago. "I have always had a love for music, art, and creativity, which is why I love playing and have continued playing for so many years."
Visit https://www.integracare.com.
Media Contact
Butch Cassiday, Reg. LifeStyles/Lifestories Dir.
