If you go
What: “An Evening with Brittany Maier”
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 16
Where: Carlynton Junior-Senior High School
Tickets: $20 or $50. Details at carlyntonhs.seatyourself.biz. Tickets will be sold online until 5 p.m. Feb. 16. If any tickets remain, they will be available at the door.
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Updated 1 hour ago
Brittany Maier is a gifted pianist known for her ability to play pieces from memory after hearing them just a few times.
She also has autism and is intellectually disabled and blind.
Maier, 27, of Long Island, N.Y., will share her talents at Carlynton Junior-Senior High School at 7 p.m. Feb. 16. She will headline a fundraiser for the programs of Best Buddies International, sponsored by Carlynton's chapter of the organization, and also perform at an assembly for students.
Best Buddies fosters one-on-one friendships between people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those without, said Lisa Rowley, one of two faculty sponsors for the Carlynton chapter.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to support the expansion of Best Buddies in Italy, where 2007 Carlynton graduate Jason Bertocchi already has started three chapters, Rowley said.
Carlynton's chapter, which has about 35 participants, generally has one after-school and one outside-of-school activity each month, Rowley said. Activities include dances with other local chapters, making gingerbread houses, carving pumpkins, going to a mall or going out to dinner, she said.
The fundraiser also will include a dance performance about autism by an ensemble from California University of Pennsylvania choreographed by dance instructor Diane Eperthener Buffington, whose son has autism. Local vocalists Christina Chirumbolo and Megan Strazisar will share the stage with Maier for some songs, Rowley said.
“We're making it a completely inclusive-of-the-arts event,” said Rowley, 59, of Moon.
Maier will play four sets — pop songs, Italian-themed music, Broadway tunes and one of audience requests, Rowley said.
“It's going to be amazing,” the physical-education and health teacher said.
Charliene Maier said her sister's talent arose suddenly at age 6, when she started playing Franz Schubert's “Ave Maria” on a toy piano after hearing it a few times on a CD.
“Her touring career pretty much started when she was 15 years old,” Charliene Maier said.
Brittany Maier has been featured on national television shows such as “Dateline NBC.”
The pianist loves doing fundraisers for Best Buddies, Charliene said.
“Best Buddies is very close to Brittany's Heart,” Charliene said. “… Our aim is to promote Best Buddies and to spread their message of inclusion.”
She said her sister, whose speech is very limited, always has loved to perform and expresses herself through music.
“Brittany's favorite thing in the whole world is applause and hearing people sing with her,” Charliene said.
Audience members are encouraged to sing along when the pianist plays songs and to come up with songs to request.
“It's a very rare occurrence that Brittany does not know something the audience requests, said Charliene, 26, of Long Island.
Junior Monika Karpa, president of Carlynton Best Buddies, said she became involved in the group when she was a freshman.
She said Brittany Maier is an example of how someone with a disability also can have a talent.
“I think the event is really worth going to see because Brittany is a really talented girl,” said Karpa, 16, of Carnegie.
Involvement with Best Buddies has made her more aware of people's different disabilities and how tough it can be for the parents of children with disabilities, Karpa said, adding it showed her students with disabilities can have close friendships just like everybody else.
“I think I learned how to connect with people more,” Karpa said.
Along with raising money, she said she wants the event to increase awareness of Best Buddies.
“I think my favorite thing is showing others how close our friendships are,” she said.
Karpa said she wants to attend a college with a Best Buddies chapter, but if that's not the case, she'll look into starting one.
“It's something I think a lot of people should be involved in,” she said.
Madelyn Dinnerstein is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
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