Posted on 09/15/25
Baltimore, MD- Sept. 13, 2025 - On September 11, participants of the L'Chaim Adult Day Center were treated to a special concert performed by Professor Thomas Hecht, a distinguished pianist and educator. The private by-invitation-only event – open exclusively to L’Chaim participants and their invited family members -- provided the unique opportunity to experience the artistry of a world-renowned musician.
The audience was mesmerized by Professor Hecht’s performance as his fingers danced across the keyboard with no sheet music in sight. It included “The Big Waltz” and a smaller waltz composed by Revel, and two pieces by Rachmaninoff – “Second Piano Sonata” and , to commemorate 9-11, “Elegy”. The participants also enjoyed engaging directly with the artist, asking questions such as, ‘How many hours a day do you practice?’ (Five to six hours daily, in addition to teaching at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute!)
A native of Baltimore, Professor Thomas Hecht has spent over three decades performing on five continents. He is the former founding Head of Keyboard Studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore and a former professor at both the Cleveland Institute of Music and Victoria University in New Zealand. He has performed with leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Baltimore Symphony, and is a member of the acclaimed duo-piano team, Hecht & Shapiro, winners of the Munich International Two Piano Competition. A respected teacher, he has mentored numerous award-winning pianists and is also a Steinway Artist, recording for several labels.
After the concert, I had the pleasure of speaking to Professor Hecht and just some of the numerous participants who enjoyed the event.
Professor Hecht, who has played piano from the age of six, remarks, “Everybody here seems to have this wonderful sense of community, and that came through. I felt them listening – and that’s really an extraordinary feeling because everyone is with you on this journey. I could really feel it, so that was very special for me. Music is an international language; it speaks to everybody. I really enjoyed it so much! It was a wonderful experience for me to be here and to get to know another tight community where so much is going on to make people’s lives happy.”
The participants enjoyed the concert just as much. Mr. Mordechai Zev Margolese shares, “It was very special. I love classical music, and Revel is one of my favorite composers. I rarely attend concerts, so this was such a super treat! The music is all full of feeling and that’s what moves you; that is why it is so special. You can see how Professor Hecht reacts to the audience, and the audience reacts to him.”
Mrs. Blanche Sachs-Cohen mentions, “It was a pleasant surprise for me. It was lovely. I danced the waltz as a child, growing up in Egypt.”
Mr. Daniel Hamburger, who took piano lessons as a child, was so overcome with emotion because Professor Hecht played so well. “It was overwhelming and so special!”
Ms. Lauren Ginsburg admits, “It expanded my horizons. I don’t really like classical music, but I liked this.”
Ms. Yehudis Gutnicki, L’Chaim Adult Day Center’s Activities Director, notes, “They love music, in general. You will see that people who were once into music, or are reserved, or no longer speak as much, are drawn out with music. Even if they don’t sing, you can see how it makes them happy, as they tap their feet or sway along with the music. We have a participant who only speaks Farsi, and you can see by his reaction that music transcends language. I try to have music everyday for them because it is something I feel we need.”
Mrs. Leah Schwartz concludes "As a pianist myself and a musician, I can tell you that music touches the soul. There's a relationship between the soul and how you feel about yourself, your emotions, your Yiddishkeit, Torah, and your environment, and it's quite beautiful to see. This high-level concert achieved that goal. I enjoyed it tremendously, and I felt that it touched the souls of all who attended.”
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