Think Global, Perform Local

You’re likely familiar with the phrase ‘think global, act local.’

Here, as shared by The Progress Network via Twitter Wednesday, March 23, you’ll see Angie Zerad’s adaption of that: Think Global, Perform Local:

As explained in the series of tweets, the video features Angie Zerad, mother of Our Towns’ co-founder and TPN member Deborah Fallows, playing the Ukrainian national anthem on piano. Sometimes the Ukrainian staff members of the assisted living facility where she resides join in. This video features two Ukrainian singers, sisters Natasha and Vira, accompanying her.

Angie, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday in November, as her son-in-law James Fallows wrote about on his Substack here, can often be found behind the keys of the piano, playing for fellow residents and staff. The latest song added to her repertoire is the Ukrainian national anthem.

As TPN explains in the thread of tweets:

Like the rest of the world, Angie has been horrified by the war in Ukraine. She wanted to do *something,* so with her daughter they came up with the idea of playing the anthem. They found the sheet music, and Angie sightread through it perfectly on the first try.

Every day she invites her audience—her fellow assisted living residents—to stand during the anthem, and every day they do. She says she will continue to do so until the war is over.

About a week ago, she offered to play a Russian folk song, too, but with the caveat that she would stop halfway through and only finish it when the Russians left Ukraine. Everyone was fine with that. #UkraineRussiaWar

Here’s more of Angie’s playing, this time the “Star-Spangled Banner:”

And here again, with Natasha and Vira singing, the Ukrainian national anthem: