This December, Tom Chernel, the owner and teacher of Creative Keys Piano Studio in Crusheen, is spreading holiday cheer across Limerick, Galway, and Clare with a series of Christmas concerts at local nursing homes.
Originally from Hungary, Tom moved to Ireland at the age of 18 to play and teach music. With a love for performing and Christmas music in particular which stems from his childhood, Tom is passionate about making the season special for everyone.
Starting back in the first week of December Tom has been travelling across the West of Ireland bringing his two hour long Christmas Piano Concert to nursing home residents to help them to celebrate the holiday season.
Although he had the initial idea for this series of concerts a number of years ago, this year marks the first time Tom has been able to bring his vision to life. Initially planning for just five or six concerts, Tom’s outreach to nursing homes resulted in an overwhelming response. “I got responses from places that I had not even contacted myself. I expected to do maybe five or six concerts but I was very surprised, and now my schedule is completely full until the 23rd of December.”
Tom explained to The Clare Echo, “I had planned to do these Christmas Concerts for years. These [nursing homes] can be very socially isolating places, and I want to bring some magic and celebration to their day”.
The idea of bringing Christmas Piano Concerts to nursing homes stemmed from Tom’s personal experience of seeing his own grandmother living in a similar facility. “My grandmother passed away in a nursing home in Hungary a few years ago. When she was living in the nursing home, they had nothing, no interaction, no one coming in to entertain them, nothing in my experience so I decided I wanted to do this so I can give them something to celebrate”.
Tom’s love of Christmas music stems from musical childhood memories. “The first time I played in front of a big audience was at a Christmas Concert in Hungary. It was in a church, and I played ‘Silent Night’ along with a choir. It was the first time I played in front of a large audience. It was a great experience. This fondness for festive melodies encouraged the basis of Tom’s Christmas Concert initiative.
Due to his own personal connection with traditional Christmas carols, Tom believes that music has a special way of connecting people to their memories, particularly during the holidays. “It’s amazing. When I play, I can just see the residents closing their eyes and going back into their memories from all of their years. Like us, they had families and Christmas memories too,” Tom shares. “Like the line from ‘The Christmas Song’ says, Christmas is for children from 1 to 92. It’s important to make sure they enjoy Christmas as well”.
Feedback from nursing homes has been overwhelmingly positive. “I have received emails from nursing homes saying that the residents really enjoyed it and they can’t wait to do it again next year,” says Tom. “I even had one ask if I would be available to come back around Valentine’s Day and play them some love songs, so they don’t even want to wait until next year”.
One particularly touching moment stood out for Tom. “I even had one older man come up to me after the concert and he said to me, ‘I have been living here for three years, and this has been my happiest day’,”.
For nursing home staff like Aideen Scanlon, Proprietor of Blake Manor Nursing Home in Galway, Tom’s concerts have been an invaluable addition to the holiday season. “I think it was very good; he was a very good piano player. It was great to have Tom. No matter what kind of music we get, the residents really enjoy it”.
Aideen believes that these concerts not only brighten the residents’ day but also offer something meaningful to those who may not have family or visitors. “Some people who don’t really get visitors sort of depend on events like that. It’s also really great because it brings something different to the residents. Everybody that comes into Blake Manor brings something different.”
Blake Manor has also hosted a variety of performances, from string quartets to youth choirs, adding a festive spirit that extends to the entire community.
Aideen shares. “Any of the family members of the residents are welcome to come along and enjoy the festivities with the residents and the staff get involved as well, which is great.”
After the success of this year’s initiative Tom hopes to continue spreading this holiday magic in the future. “I hope that next year I can do it again and maybe include some musicians. I might even start earlier, maybe in November, so I can go to more nursing homes,” he says.
