Siblings Maggie and Matthew Schneider love music: singing, playing violin, even just enjoying melodies in everyday life. They practice for several hours a day, and they understand the value of hard work: To perfect a tricky passage, they’ll practice it 10, 20, even 100 times in a row to ensure mastery. On a typical Saturday, you can find them traveling to New York City to attend lessons and classes with faculty of the prestigious Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, and returning to Baltimore in the evening.
But the reason why they are so dedicated to music may surprise you: They work hard so they can give back.
For the past couple of years, Maggie and Matthew have given a yearly concert at the Baltimore Museum of Art to benefit nonprofit organizations. Last year, they raised nearly $15,000 for Kennedy Krieger Institute, and now, on June 14, 2026, they'll take the stage once again, turning months of practice into meaningful support for those who need it.
“I know I’m going to be helping other people because of what I love and do,” says Maggie.
Their parents, Drs. Hyon and Jeffrey Schneider, discovered Maggie and Matthew had perfect pitch when the children were very young. Musical talent runs in the family; Hyon studied piano at The Juilliard School for many years before attending college.
But Hyon and Jeffrey wanted their children to have a reason for practicing music. “They practice because their concert is coming up,” Hyon says. “They’ve made the commitment. When you direct your life toward a goal that is bigger than yourself, life has so much more to give back.”
Through this mission, Maggie and Matthew hope to inspire other children to think about ways to make a difference. “They’re our next generation,” Hyon explains. She and Jeffrey have brought Maggie and Matthew to a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Kennedy Krieger and Johns Hopkins, to learn about opportunities to make a difference.
For Maggie and Matthew, music isn't just a skill or a hobby: It is a way to give back, and proof that young people can change the world.