The Villages - July 2020 - 18

Neighbors
dance to
"YMCA."

Wendy and
Jerry Millstein

JE R RY M I LLST E I N
For Village of Buttonwood resident Jerry Millstein,
playing music is something he has always enjoyed doing
- it just so happens his neighbors enjoy listening as well.
he said. "All 13 houses are always involved in just about
At least once a week, Millstein sets up his keyboard at
everything. We thought this was a good idea to just have
the end of his driveway and plays and sings a selection
some fun for a couple hours."
of music for anyone who wants to listen.
Millstein formerly was an orchestral musician, playing
The idea for Millstein's driveway concerts came one
the oboe and other instruments professionally since he
evening while out on a walk around the neighborhood.
was 14. Complications from brain surgery now prevent
"Some of my neighbors were sitting outside as I was
him from playing any sort of woodwind instrument, but
walking by and they go, 'Why don't you
he still wanted to continue playing music.
bring your piano over?'" Millstein said.
Teaching himself to play piano gave him
We have a
"I played for a couple hours and then we
that creative outlet he was looking for.
very tight-knit
decided to make a regular thing out of
"Music was a big part of my life," he
street. All 13
it. I play every Wednesday now."
said. "I have my own style. My style is
houses are
Millstein lives on a cul-de-sac, and
a very easy-listening style - I don't do
always
involved
he says the Villagers who live on his
much complexity, but I play the melody
in just about
street all get along well, and they often
and the accompaniment. I find that it's
everything.
would go out and do things together
very easy to listen and sing to."
We thought this
before the quarantine. When they
Millstein is a one-man band. Using his
was
a
good
idea
were spending more time at home, a
keyboard, he is able to play over different
to just have
driveway concert just seemed like the
beats and backgrounds with a variety of
some fun for a
natural thing for them to do, he says.
synthesized instruments all on the single
"We have a very tight-knit street,"
keyboard. His setup gives his one-man
couple hours.
- Jerry Millstein
18	

JULY 2020
The Villages - July 2020

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