Ali Hassan 26’
EE Staff Writer
“Music is the universal storyteller, sharing the tales of humanity with a language that transcends barriers and connects hearts.” These words, spoken by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, exemplify the true power of music to unify listeners all over the world.
When musicians share music, they can express emotions that cannot be expressed in words. However, this influence doesn’t need to be universal to make a difference. THS junior, Saanvi Chintapalli, recently founded a program titled the Youth Music Outreach program, or YMO, and she too is using music to make a difference in our community.
The YMO program was established to provide senior citizens, specifically residents of assisted living facilities, with tailored musical performances. After assembling a group of musicians, the YMO would go into assisted living facilities and perform for the residents, allowing senior citizens who otherwise might not have the opportunity to attend a concert to enjoy a musically enriching experience.
Saanvi has been involved with music since elementary school. Having played the violin since third grade, Saanvi was first introduced to music through her elementary school orchestra program, and, deciding to join with some of her friends, quickly began learning to play. Soon after, she began taking private lessons from a family friend, and in the fifth grade became a member of the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras, where she still plays today as a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Covid-19 pandemic, having shut down most sports and social activities, greatly changed the way Saanvi approached music. “Playing the violin transitioned from being ‘work’ to more of a fun, comforting experience, and something to focus my energy towards,” she says.
As she began to appreciate the artistry of creating music, she began sharing her appreciation with others around her. As a private tutor for two violin students and a former counselor at the Trumbull Summer Music Camp, Saanvi works to help younger students advance their own playing skills.
Saanvi’s penchant for helping others was what led her to come up with the YMO. She says she first realized the need for such a program while volunteering at Middlebrook Farms, an assisted living facility here in Trumbull. “The residents really enjoyed interacting with me and telling me all their stories,” Saanvi says. It was then that she had the idea to combine her two passions: music and helping others.
Having a background in music greatly prepared Saanvi to found the YMO. She speaks to the level of resilience she has had to exhibit over the last decade of playing. As a musician, one reaches a point where it feels like they’re not making progress and wonders whether or not to continue. Saanvi shares her own experience with this feeling, describing the “wall” of progress, and saying that to break through the wall, you just have to keep putting in the work. If you can persist, she says, then you’ll always keep getting better. This work ethic stands to serve young musicians in many other aspects of their lives. A strong work ethic will always garner results and can provide benefits in schoolwork, sports, or even a part-time job. While this routine can be difficult to establish, it always pays off in the end.
Music, however, is more than just practicing. Saanvi says the musical community is one of the things that has kept her playing for so long. “Once you join the musical community, you stop worrying about competing with others, and you just want to collaborate with them. We all want each other to succeed,” she says.
The Greater CT Youth Orchestras includes players from all over the state, allowing for a greater musical community to be formed here in Connecticut.
Creating a special musical community is another goal of the YMO, as they work to strengthen the bonds between Trumbull musicians and musicians from nearby towns. Saanvi, when asked to give a message on the importance of music today, spoke to the immediate connection musicians feel with each other. “The sense of community is so necessary today, and music really is a way to build these strong connections you couldn’t make any other way,” she explained. Throughout her various musical experiences, she has come to realize that “with music, you can get so much more done than you can with words.”
At this point, the YMO has reached out to several nearby assisted living facilities and has received an immensely positive response. They are currently awaiting musician feedback and assuring availability for all involved. Undoubtedly, the YMO is on the path to success, especially under the capable leadership of Saanvi Chintapalli.