A 14-year-old boy from Ardmore, Pennsylvania has managed to cheer up a couple in their 80s with his gift of music.
“Music is my gift and now more than ever I can use it to bring light, joy, hope, and smiles to people,” Aidan Peterson said.
Music has always been a part of Aidan’s life since he was very young, he started playing the trumpet from the age of 5.
The 8th grader at The Shipley School is a member of both the Honors Combo and the Delaware County Youth Orchestra, and also plays with the DeLaSalle String Band Orchestra.
Thank you Robyn Palumbo Gleason (and daughter) for giving Aidan a music challenge. He hopes you like his version of Under the Sea. #JuilliardThrives
Posted by Amy Shumoski on Monday, March 16, 2020
Aidan is a Taps bugler for the military. He also plays cello bedside for patients at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, and is a trumpet major in the Pre-College Division at Julliard.
But now with the coronavirus pandemic, he had to shut down everything, and has been looking for ways to keep on playing.
“Since everything closed and I can’t play concerts anymore, I’ve been trying to find ways to still bring people music,” Aidan said.
Family and friends have been challenging the teen on social media to play different songs, and he posts his musical responses on his mom’s Facebook page.
But on Monday, the teen played a song for a specific couple. Joe Coppolo is 89 years old. His wife Barbara is 85. They live in neighboring Bryn Mawr.
My last act of kindness before the lockdown. Dinner delivery and porch concert for my favorite elderly couple. #MusicHeals #MusicInIsolation pic.twitter.com/I8YZL5MrEF
— Aidan Peterson (@Aidan_Amy) March 24, 2020
Barbara works at Harcum College along with Aidan’s mother and both families are close. “They are good friends and very much like grandparents to me,” Aidan said.
Aidan’s mom is also doing her bit to bring comfort to the elderly in her community and has been bringing soup to the Coppolas.
Aidan went along for the short trip, with his trumpet. “I asked if I could play for them from the porch because I know they love hearing me play and Joe was a trumpet player at one time,” Aidan said.
Aidan began playing the song “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?” made popular in the 1920s by The California Ramblers.
Aidan said he knows music from all eras thanks to his time with the DeLaSalle String Band Orchestra. “They perform a lot at nursing homes,” Aidan said.
“They absolutely loved it! They were singing along,” Aidan said.
The video shot by his mom shows the Coppolos singing like the Ramblers from the 20s, with a 14-year-old virtuoso.
“I want people to know that kindness costs us nothing and that it’s really simple to use our gifts to help others,” Aidan said.
14-year-old Aidan Peterson, is doing his bit to spread joy in his neighborhood through music, what are we doing to spread some happiness around us?
