My name is Tara Venkatadri, and I am the creator of the Music In Our Lives program for older adults.  I live in NY and will graduate high school in 2018.  

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I am a classically trained pianist and violinist, as well as a Bharatanatyam (classical Indian) dancer.  From a young age, I have been enthusiastic about bringing music to the less fortunate, from bringing a musical theater production of Annie to a local homeless shelter at the age of eight to teaching violin at a school without an established music program for my Girl Scout Silver Award when I was in eighth grade.

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I decided to teach music to seniors for my Girl Scout Gold Award.  In addition to my interest in music, there was a personal reason behind my choice to pursue music enrichment for seniors.  After retiring, my grandfather, a university professor, suffered from dementia and a mental decline caused in part by a lack of mental stimulus.  For my Gold Award, I wanted to help other people avoid this decline even when my grandfather could not.  I created and delivered this curriculum in a local senior living facility as a mentally engaging music program for the residents.