Students of West Lafayette Tutti, all together in concert for CASA: A Q&A
The president of WL Tutti tells about the musical community service project formed to play at senior communities and hospitals, and now to benefit CASA. Plus, redistricting special session back on.
Support for Based in Lafayette comes from Purdue Convocations, presenting Jim Brickman: The Gift of Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 11. Join us for this one of a kind concert that blends holiday classics, heartfelt originals and a touch of humor — all delivered with Jim Brickman’s signature piano style. Along with special guests Luke McMaster and John Trones, Brickman will create something truly special on Purdue’s beautiful Steinway D concert grand piano. Take a break from the holiday rush and BUY TICKETS today!
Support also comes from the 12th Annual Indiana Makers Market Holiday Pop-Up, opening Saturday, Nov. 29, and running for three weekends at Wea Creek Orchard, 5618 S. County Road 200 East, Lafayette. The Indiana Makers Market is among those nationwide in the hunt for USA Today’s list of the 10 Best Holiday Markets. (You can vote here.) Check out the curated shopping experience, with the historic barn turned into a holiday shop filled with handmade gifts picked for you and your loved ones from over 50 makers and artists. For special events, music lineups and more, go to indianamakersmarket.com.
WEST LAFAYETTE TUTTI, ALL TOGETHER IN CONCERT FOR CASA: A Q&A
A group of musicians from West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School who have spent the past few years playing a circuit of retirement communities and hospitals will shift gears next week for a fundraising concert backing abused and neglected kids supported by the CASAs for Kids Fund.
Here, Tara Kim, a junior at West Side and president of West Lafayette Tutti, tells about the musical community service project as musicians prepare for what’s called the Project CASA-Thon Concert Dec. 7.
Question: Tell how West Lafayette Tutti got started. Who was behind the idea of the group? And how did you land on the name?
Tara Kim: During the pandemic, my older brother Joshua and I saw how many senior citizens were stuck in isolation, including our great-grandmother. She spent almost two years alone until she passed away after moving to an assisted living facility just as the pandemic began. Watching that weighed heavily on us and sparked an idea: we could use our passion for music to bring joy to the people who needed it most.
As soon as restrictions started to ease at the beginning of 2023, we reached out to like-minded musician friends and to local retirement communities. That led to the formation of West Lafayette Tutti. Our group, whose name Tutti is an Italian musical term meaning “all together,” began performing for residents in retirement homes and for patients in hospitals. Our name has a couple of meanings: first, we wanted to show that we are all in this together, and second, it reflects that we are a diverse group of students who share the joy of music with people of all ages, backgrounds and identities.
West Lafayette Tutti officially became a club at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School in fall 2023, under our amazing faculty sponsor, Mrs. (Carol) Letcher.
Question: You say you play for senior communities and hospitals to share live music for those who might feel isolated. How has that gone over?
Tara Kim: The response was overwhelmingly positive. It was as if they had been waiting for us. Our concerts became eagerly awaited events, filling the halls with senior citizens in wheelchairs and walkers. They wait for us every month, and we love engaging with them after our concerts.
Doing music community service has really changed how I think about performing. It feels more like having a real conversation and connecting with people on a deeper level. I used to perform mainly for my own musical development, but this whole experience hasn’t just changed how I play; it’s really shaped who I am and how I see the world.
Question: How often do you perform? And how do you choose where to play?
Tara Kim: We have a few “regular” places, like Westminster Village, where we play once a month. Then we try to fit in other visits whenever we can on no-school days, weekends or during breaks. We’ve been able to perform at places like IU Arnett Hospital, Franciscan Hospital, Joyful Journey Adult Daycare, Cumberland Pointe Health Campus, Five Star Residences of Lafayette, and The Springs at Lafayette.
This year we’re also excited about a couple of new partnerships. We’ve started working with We’ve Got Friends, a nonprofit that provides free social opportunities for teens with intellectual and developmental disabilities to form meaningful connections with their peers, and we perform online concerts for their virtual hangouts. We’re also beginning a partnership with Riley Children’s Hospital. We’ll be performing a concert for their music therapy program on MLK Day, Jan. 19, 2026, and we’re hoping to bring a truck full of toys with us, so we’re currently also running a Holiday Toy Drive for their pediatric patients.
Choosing where to play takes a bit of work. We usually reach out, visit the site, check out the piano, and meet with administrators to introduce ourselves and see what would work best. It definitely takes effort, but we’ve met some of the most amazing people through these experiences, and that makes it all worth it.
Question: How many members do you have now?
Tara Kim: We currently have more than 50 students on our roster, with several very active members, including the four of us on the executive board: Marco Tindel, Claireen Cheng, Jessica Xie and myself
.
Question: Do you have a standard repertoire? How do you select the works you perform?
Tara Kim: Most of our performers take private lessons and are really dedicated to their instruments, so we usually play whatever pieces we’re currently working on. We also use these performances as a chance to practice performing on stage when we have auditions or competitions coming up. We have a nice mix of musicians, including vocalists and players of piano, string and wind instruments.
Question: Is the Project CASA-Thon a shift for WL Tutti? How did you land on the idea for this performance? What’s the goal for that day?
Tara Kim: The idea really started around April of this year. I came across a news article about the sudden federal grant cuts to National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), totaling around $40 million. Because of those cuts, programs were forced to freeze training, pause support for local branches and scale back services for children in foster care.
I was talking about it with a pianist friend from New Jersey whom I know through piano competitions, and I was surprised and grateful to learn that she shared the same concern. She had already started a fundraiser called Project CASA-Thon in the New Jersey and New York area. It was growing into a nationwide collaboration, reaching places like Chicago and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has raised over $20,000 so far.
Project CASA-Thon has two main goals: to raise both awareness and funding for the most vulnerable youth in foster care. We achieve this by hosting benefit concerts that directly support CASA’s work and let more people know about the incredible work CASA does.
I was excited to bring that collaboration right here to our own community through our group West Lafayette Tutti. This is definitely a shift from our regular activities thus far! This past summer, I met with the Tippecanoe County CASA’s executive director and proposed hosting a local Project CASA-Thon benefit concert, where 100% of the proceeds would go directly to them via CASAs for Kids Fund. Our faculty sponsor, Mrs. Letcher, along with Mr. (Chad) Rodgers, our principal, and Dr. (Shawn) Greiner, our superintendent, have all been incredibly supportive.
We have been working hard to promote the event and involve more community members, family and friends, including presenting at the school board meeting on Nov. 10. I am thrilled to share that we now have a generous anonymous donor who will match every dollar we raise, which will double the impact of this effort! Our goal is to raise $5,000 through this concert to add to the nationwide Project CASA-Thon collaboration.
We will also have more than 10 student artists from the WL Student Art Initiative donating their artwork for sale at the concert, along with a special performance by the Tippecanoe Youth Choir. It’s so amazing to see kids come together to help other kids through this project.
Question: What else would you like the community to know heading into this concert?
Tara Kim: We still need your help in a few key ways. First, please come to the concert on Dec. 7 at Covenant Church. Second, we are urgently seeking raffle prize donations, things like gift cards, coupons or items from local businesses and individuals. Finally, even if you can’t attend, please consider giving directly to support CASA’s crucial work. If you use the PayPal QR code on the flyer, please be sure to write “Project CASA-Thon” in the notes so we can track it for the matching gift.
The entire evening is designed to be a fun community event while directly supporting the crucial work of CASA. Email us at wl.tutti.music@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram at @wltutti if you’d like to help and get involved.
If you go: West Lafayette Tutti’s Project CASA-Thon Benefit Concert will be 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Covenant Church, 211 Knox Drive in West Lafayette. Money raised from the concert and a raffle of donated prizes will go to the CASAs for Kids Fund in Tippecanoe County. Suggested donation for admission: $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors.
THE RETURN OF THE REDISTRICTING SPECIAL SESSION
The redistricting special session is back on, after Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston announced he’d call his chamber to meet Monday, Dec. 1. The Indiana Senate, which last week adjourned until January, will follow suit on Dec. 8. Here’s more from Tom Davies, reporting for the Indiana Capital Chronicle: “Indiana House returning next week to address redistricting; Senate to join Dec. 8.”
On that front, President Donald Trump kept up the pressure on the Indiana General Assembly, after the special session news broke. Trump repeated threats of primaries for Republicans who didn’t fall in line with a plan designed to pick up one or two seats in Congress, posting on Truth Social: “I am glad to hear the Indiana House is stepping up to do the right thing, and I hope the Senate finds the Votes. If they do, I will make sure that all of those people supporting me win their Primaries, and go on to Greatness but, if they don’t, I will partner with the incredibly powerful MAGA Grassroots Republicans to elect STRONG Republicans who are ready to do what is needed to protect our Country and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Of course, that threat has already manifested itself in Indiana Senate District 23, where former Fountain County Clerk Paula Copenhaver announced a week ago that she’d challenge state Sen. Spencer Deery, a West Lafayette Republican, in the May primary. Copenhaver centered her announcement on Deery’s unwavering objections to the White House’s redistricting push. Here’s more on that:
Thanks, again, for support from Purdue Convocations, presenting Jim Brickman: The Gift of Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 11. Get tickets here.
And thanks to the 12th Annual Indiana Makers Market Holiday Pop-Up, opening Saturday, Nov. 29, and running for three weekends at Wea Creek Orchard, 5618 S. County Road 200 East, Lafayette. For special events, music lineups and more, go to indianamakersmarket.com.
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Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
Like Jason from Friday the 13th....here comes redistricting again. Indiana lawmakers. Listen to your constituents. Remain firm. Tell the swamp creatures to go home. We have work to do improving Indiana schools, attracting new businesses, and keeping Indiana a great place to live and work!
Thank you for covering concert for CASA.🎶✨
And sadly of course IN GOP leadership now caving on more Gerrymandering. Perhaps these overreach actions will only help break their corrupt power. Time will tell.