A retired information systems executive whose musical roots lead back to his days singing in the church choir, Bruce surfed the internet one day and found fantastic videos of musical performances from all sorts of genres on YouTube.
Intrigued, he curated a list of his favorites, compiled an hour-long program of video cuts, and invited his new Garlands friends to enjoy the tunes—from Perry Como to bluegrass to opera—in the comfort of The Garlands comfy, private theater.
Bruce’s shows became an immediate hit and long-term (ten years and running!) staple among The Garlands Lifelong Learning clientele.
Of his modern-day “mixed tapes,” Bruce says, “The key is shorter clips and a lot of variety in each hour-long program. I give people just a taste, and they don’t know what’s coming next, so it keeps their attention!”
Bruce grew up in a rural farming community, “a whole world away from musical theater, opera, and professional performances,” which is perhaps what inspired him to creatively, and conveniently, bring the performing arts straight to his Garlands neighbors’ doorsteps and leave them coming back for more!
Bruce’s curated programs are a benevolent undertaking for which he earned the “Thousand Points of Light” award, originally established by President Bush to recognize individuals who make a difference in their communities through volunteerism.
