Music has filled the air all week at St. Mary’s Home. Melodies rang through the halls and swelled the hearts of our Residents with two special visits from some very talented musicians.
On Monday, we were treated with a visit from Kate Ryan, Director of Music, and Josephine Stracek, her assistant, from Immaculate Conception – St. Joseph Parish. The duo took turns at the piano, serenading our Residents with show-tunes of all ages and eras. They performed classics like “Impossible” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, but also included fun ditties like “The Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie! They even brought little booklets with the words so Sisters and Residents could sing along with them. We can’t wait to have these lovely ladies and their powerful voices back again!
In honor of National Barbershop Quartet Day on April 11, St. Mary’s Home was treated with a visit from another musical group, the Chicago Metro Quartet! This acapella foursome took the audience on a journey through what Barbershop could be. They started with traditional American songs like “America the Beautiful” and other familiar tunes, transitioned to a traditional gospel piece, “This Little Light of Mine,” and even performed a barbershop rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King. They definitely showed that barbershop can truly be anything! After the show, this big-hearted foursome went the extra mile to make Residents smile as they visited rooms of those Residents who were unable to attend the performance in our auditorium. For them, the singers performed a little ditty or two, which made these Residents feel very much like VIPs! Everyone deserves to experience the gift of music, and we are so fortunate to have wonderful visitors who take the time to share their blessed gifts with us.
