When one couple moved to Hawaii a few years ago, they sometimes heard music coming through the walls of their new apartment. They never thought the sound would lead to a cherished friendship and tradition with their now 97-year-old neighbor.
Lydia Pender, 32, and her husband Andy, 33, moved to Honolulu from New York City in 2021. When they settled into their new home, Pender said they began to notice beautiful piano music coming from the neighboring apartment.
"I would hear constant music coming through the walls … and we just wanted to know who the neighbor was on that side," she said. "We just went and introduced ourselves one night."
On the other side of the door was Derek Peart. Peart, at the time they met, was 95 years old. The couple learned he had a knack for playing piano by ear and also that he was mourning the loss of his wife, who had died suddenly the year prior.
"He was probably the first person we met here," Pender said. "He was one of our first friends. We were just immediately obsessed with him."
The couple began to invite Peart over for dinner and cocktails. Knowing he loved music, they played him the Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga special on their TV. That in turn inspired them to start a "dinner and a show" tradition, where Peart would play piano for them and they would bring dinner in exchange for the entertainment.
"I say to people that I have two interesting neighbors. They're from New York, they're in their early 30s and they're both brilliant," Peart said. "I find it fascinating that at this age I'm still able to converse with them intelligently. It's a thrill for me."
These days, the couple heads to Peart's apartment about once a month for "dinner and a show." They bring pizza from Peart's favorite local spot along with either beer or wine and enjoy each other's company. After dinner, the show begins: Peart often has a list of songs he is planning to play, and the couple said he takes requests as well.
"His personality is very light-hearted and funny," Pender said. "But when he's playing, he's definitely more serious. He's very focused and takes it very seriously. He wants it to be a great show for us."
"When they sit down, and when I see them appreciate what I'm playing, I feel good," Peart said. "It makes me feel good about myself."
Pender began to film Peart's concerts and send them to her family back home -- then, she decided to post one of his shows to her TikTok account. The video was viewed over 1 million times and garnered thousands of comments.
"It was the nicest corner of the internet ever," she said. "It was a comment section of love ... people were also sharing stories of elderly people in their lives. It was a moment of community."
When Pender shared with Peart how many people had seen the video of him playing piano, she said he was "so excited."
"It's hard to comprehend -- just imagine you were playing to people all over the world," Peart said. "When I stop to think about it, it's a great feeling."
Added Pender, "The cutest thing he said was, 'I needed this. I need this for my spirit. I need this to keep going.' I almost started crying. He was teary-eyed."
The couple plans to keep their monthly "dinner and a show" tradition going into the new year. Pender also plans to continue posting videos of Peart playing piano in hopes of spreading the joy their friend has given to her and her husband, and to others on the internet.
"He's just the greatest person, and it's been such a joy getting close with him and getting to know him, and also getting to know him through music," Pender said. "He has so much to share with the world."
