Client Spotlight: Dietrich

In January, we had the absolute pleasure of paying a special visit to our Hayward client, Dietrich, who has received our service since 2019. Born in Austria, he emigrated to the US in 1968 to work for the San Francisco Opera. At the age of 96, he still sits at his piano daily (and regaled us with 20 minutes of beautiful songs), and he provides voice lessons to pupils via Zoom. He also plays piano during weekly services at a local church and runs a publishing business that produces comprehensive coaching CDs, translations and music books for classical singers and choruses. 

His business manager and friend, Melinda, commented. "Meals on Wheels offers a nice, balanced diet; it's delicious; it makes it possible for him to keep teaching at 96 years old, and to live in his house and not in a facility somewhere. The drivers are always wonderful. Jon, one of our drivers, heard him play, and invited him to play in a We Are Oakland concert. He now plays twice a year at that concert, which raises money for community organizations.”  

You can hear Dietrich play piano here.