SENIORS : Musician No Longer Plays Violin, but He Can Still Pull a Few Strings

Harry Stein celebrates his 90th birthday this year, and one of his few regrets is that he is no longer able to play his cherished violin because of arthritis.

“That’s life,” he says philosophically. Besides, he can still play the guitar, cello, mandolin and viola. And he can sing.

Stein loves music. He met his wife, Charlotte, at a dance and courted her with a banjo, which he admits he deliberately left at her house so that he would have an excuse to come back. They have been married for 65 years.

Stein started earning a living at age 12, working in a silk factory. Later, he ran a successful sign business. Now he is a musician with a full calendar of bookings, mostly at senior centers.

He is modest in assessing his own talents.

“I’m not good enough to amount to anything,” he says, but adds: “If the audience doesn’t know music, I’m all right. . . . I come across people who are worse than me, and they think they know it all. I don’t like to act better than I am.”

Stein can entertain for a year and not repeat one song. He keeps scrupulous handwritten records in a notebook. “I learned a lesson once when I went to see this singer at the Shrine Auditorium. People started to walk out because she didn’t know when to stop. I make sure I don’t bore anyone by repeating any songs.”

He works hard at what he does, and he does so because he sees it as part of the joy of making music. He has an extensive filing system that helps him keep track of the 450 songs in his repertoire--notes, lyrics, and where and when he has performed each. Before a performance, he pulls out cards containing the appropriate words and music and attaches them to his instrument with a gadget he invented.

Looking ahead, Stein says: “Time is my only enemy. All my friends seem to be passing away now.” And with a twinkle in his eye he adds: “That’s because they heard me sing.”

Stein’s schedule varies, but he can often be heard Mondays at the Felicia Mahood Senior Center, 11338 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles; Wednesdays at the Santa Monica Senior Recreation Center, 1450 Ocean Ave., and Fridays at the Olive Stone Center, 1440 Harvard St., Santa Monica. He also does special appearances at hospitals.

Activities and Services

Culver City Senior Center, 4153 Overland Ave. (213) 202-5856. The center sponsors and organizes a wide variety of events and services. Unless otherwise indicated, the events are held at the center and are free and open to the public. Here is a sampling:

* Income Tax Help--Available to low-income seniors; Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 4 through April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Veterans Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Ave.

* Loteria--A bilingual, bingo-style game that doubles as a Spanish and English lesson is played every Wednesday at the Senior Center at 10:30 a.m.

* Current Issues--KNX radio’s Pete Moraga will speak on current issues in the news on Feb. 11 at 10:45 a.m.

* Celebration--The senior center will hold a special celebration for people over 90 years old on Feb. 16 at noon. Lunch and entertainment will be provided.

West Hollywood Senior Center, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. For information call (213) 851-8202.

* “Grandparent and Me”--An inter-generational play group for grandparents and grandchildren; participants sing songs, play games, do arts and crafts projects; program is designed for children aged 2 to 5; Thursdays, 10 to 11 a.m.; 50 cents per child.

* Home Health Aide Training--A free eight-week state-certified program trains older adults to assist the frail elderly, people with disabilities and people with AIDS; texts, materials, job counseling and placement services are also provided; some seniors may also qualify for a stipend during training. Classes begin Feb. 4 at West Hollywood Park. For further information, call Rhonda Sherman at (213) 854-7468.

Wise Senior Services, 1527 4th St., Santa Monica (213) 394-9871.

* Care-Giving--A four-part program designed for people who are caring for an aging parent or parents, with particular emphasis on those who are also raising children and/or holding down a job. Sessions will be held every Tuesday in February at 11 a.m.

* Reminiscing--A 12-week workshop starting Feb. 19 in which participants will create personal albums to pass on to younger generations. Albums will record participants’ lives and family history with photos, collages, charts and written memoirs. This is one of several Healthy Living Workshops offered at WISE under the sponsorship of Santa Monica Emeritus College and the Senior Health and Peer Counseling Center. For information, call Barbara Reed, (213) 829-4715.

Other Events

* Jewish Singles--Common Bond Westside 50+ will present an evening of traditional tales with Karen Galden; Jewish Community Center, 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles; 7:30 p.m. today; information: (213) 839-1753 ($3).

* Bridge Class--The Beverly Hills Recreation and Parks Department will have a bridge class; Community Center, 471 N. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills; 1 to 2 p.m. Thursdays; information: (213) 550-4761 (free).

* Environmentalist Speaks--The Westside chapter of the National Council of Senior Citizens will present Tom Fleming from Heal the Bay; Claude Pepper Senior Center, 1762 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; 1 to 3 p.m. today; information: (213) 652-3774 (free).

* Bingo--The Cheviot Hills Senior Citizens Club will feature entertainment by Diane Leoncavallo; Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor Ave., Los Angeles; 10:45 a.m. Friday; information: (213) 839-1819 ($1 members, $1.25 guests).

* Friendship Club--Temple Isaiah has a senior Friendship Club that meets weekly; 10345 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; 10:30 a.m. Thursdays; information: (213) 475-1731 ($1 members, $1.25 non-members).

Linda Feldman, a Santa Monica free-lance writer, writes a biweekly column on Westside seniors. Information about coming events and continuing services should be addressed to her in care of The Times, 1717 4th St., Suite 200, Santa Monica 90401.