NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A very famous song is hundreds of years old, but a group is still finding a new spin to put on it. They're using that song to make a positive impact on their neighbors.
Tatia Rose started taking piano lessons when she was seven-years-old. Those lessons were a starting point as her life evolved into so much as an adult.
"Do a pancake mix and a syrup," Rose called, as a volunteer helped to fill a box of food. "I have some spaghetti up here if you wanted to do that!"
In 2021, Rose started Sangtuary Church in North Nashville.
"It has been a church since 1932 or '34," she said of the building. "When we were remodeling the building, we started pulling some of the siding off the front, and it revealed those three red windows. I had some people in the neighborhood come up and say, I haven't seen that in 20, 30 years!' When we moved in here, we talked to the neighbors, and they expressed how they wanted it to still serve the neighborhood."
A team of volunteers worked to make ham and cheese sandwiches in the Sangtuary kitchen.
"We usually do about 100 bag lunches every Tuesday, and we distribute those here in North Nashville, Madison, and the Nolensville Pike area," Rose said.
In the back, Sangtuary is Nashville Music Academy. It's music lessons for everybody.
"We have adults, we have children, we have children and adults with special needs as well," Rose continued.
Rose is showing just what music can do.
She's part of a crew that's released a new recording of Ave Maria. It's from The Mater Dolorosa Project. Rose's piano is paired with the other elements to make a new version of a classic song.
"It's myself, Lenesha Randolph on vocals, and Cremaine Booker on cello," Rose said.
The song is produced by Grammy-winner Tommy Sims.
The Mater Dolorosa Project version of Ave Maria is now available to stream and download on all platforms. It's part of an upcoming full album. Money made from it is going to help Sangtuary with things like their music programs and free bag lunches.
At seven-years-old, Rose could have never seen where those piano lessons would one day lead her.
"While it involves a lot of elements of my personal and lived experience, this is definitely not about me," she said. "It's about recognizing the suffering of our community members and easing it and lifting up their burden."
For more on The Mater Dolorosa Project, visit here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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