Every day when I come into MENC, I step across a walkway of bricks inscribed with names of folks who taught
music, love music, work for music, or are remembering how music played a part in their lives (The Walk of Fame)
I've often thought of buying a brick to honor those in my life who introduced me to music and made it possible for me to enjoy, learn and perform music.... I try to commemorate them/honor them in each day I work at MENC. Sounds corny, I know, but it's true. The people who gave me my love for music are the ones who opened up the door to what I consider to be one of the best things going on this planet.....these folks are kind of my Fairy God People who are with me and come out whenever I listen to, sing, play, or otherwise engage with music or music learning/activities.
It'd be too long to go into detail about each of them - suffice it say that each in their own way was incredibly influential, made an indelible impression on me, and inspired me to keep learning, trying, doing, engaging with music. I could write a chapter on each, but due to lack of space, time and fear of boring readers (whom I sure have their own inspiring Fairy GodPeople of Music), I'll just list them as briefly as I can - (must say SOMETHING about them!) - in lieu of buying a brick for each which would cost me a fortune (which I'm sure MENC could use, but, sorry, so could I!) It's a bit self -indulgent of me, but as this is what's on my brain this week, lucky you all get to hear about it!
Lest this sound like an Oscar Award acceptance speech....ummm....well, it kinda does. My apologies. Get your gagging done now or just skip over this section. The point of all this is - without these folks, I'd not have a clue about music and therefore would not appreciate or WANT to work at a place like MENC. Working at MENC is my way of giving back to the field, to help perpetuate and preserve it so others can experience some of what I had the fortune to.
There's of course first and foremost, my parents. touchstones: the Weavers, Dad singing his old choral music around the house (Stenka Razin, Gospodi Pomilui, Russian choir stuff.....and of course, one that tickled us kids, from his army days, I think "OH porkchop, you shall be free, with gravy on them!"); Artur Rubenstein at Symphony Hall in Boston with Mom; five years of Saturday lessons in piano, theory, voice and children's choir at the New England Conservatory; records for my birthday and Christmas; my constant friend, the old red piano in the basement; the ever present support and encouragement... and memories of Mom teaching me at age 5 how to sightread (generally speaking), "Mighty Lak a Rose" in our old folk song book on the couch, and her praising me for being able to make my voice go up when the notes went up, and down when the notes went down.......singing to my infant brother in his cradle...falling in love at age 4 with Mary Poppins and vowing to be like Julie Andrews! Who says kids don't know what they want to do at an early age?
My first piano teacher Linda Hawes, who taught me theory and the basics; scales in each key written out in pencil in my composition book, helping me (albeit begrudgingly at age 7!) learn my ABCs, the building blocks of theory....my elementary Music teachers Ms. Daniel in 3rd grade, Mrs. Farmer in 4th and 5th who opened up the wonders of group singing to me and recorder and harmony and descants....
Mrs. Edna Geary in 6th, with her exacting standards and very professional conducting. My first exposure to the "real" world of professional music! (she was a little scary, but boy did I learn a lot!)
Then in 7th grade - oh dear, a man! But not just any man (Little did I know at the time! how we 7th grade girls dreaded class with this "old" man!). William Rice, father of Tim Rice of Jesus Christ Superstar fame; Mr. Rice shared with us the first recording of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which had just opened in London; he also taught us (what patience he must have had!) music that was more than kid stuff - sophisticated contempory harmonies and choral pieces - "The Summer Knows" from the Summer of 42 - we thought it was sappy and soupy but did it ever linger in my mind and did I ever realize the haunting beauty of it later in life. He was a genius we did not appreciate!
Martha Dahl in 8th, who was the idol we all ascribed to be/know, the dream teacher, beautiful and talented and funny and fun and fair and who gave us so many opportunities....her voice like gold crystal, her concern for us, we all wanted her to be our Mom! She was and is awesome! what crushes we had on her!
Lo and behold, thinking a new world of choral wonders awaited us in high school - sequestered and relegated to the 9th grade GIRLS CHOIR, deemed not "old" enough to be part of the elite "SELECT" Mixed choir - what frustration! and to make it worse - who was leading it, but our old nemesis (so we thought!) Mr. Rice from 7th grade! How had THAT happened?! Ugh. We were merciless on him. But he put up with us yet another year, teaching us despite ourselves...and then we were allowed entrance into the auditions for the ELITE SELECT Mixed choir having "done our time" in the 9th grade girl's choir!
AH! SELECT CHOIR. The legendary choir that went to Russian, Europe, the most talked of group in the school....led by the wonder of the school, Robert "Bob" Wentworth - shaggy golden beard, trim lithe build, long blondish hair reminscent of a lion-like Rasputin - he was a character and half - and he commanded the choir - you WANTED to sing for him - everyone loved Bob and he loved everyone back - he had a way of making EVERY SINGLE person feel like THE most important person in the world TO HIM, and yet, he could bring you to tears of shame when the choir acted up and he'd walk out on us to get us to realize he meant business. It was no easy task conducting up to 70 high school students each morning (yes! we had choir FIVE DAYS A WEEK! WHAT LUXURY!) at 7am.... the music he got us to make, the opportunities, how they filled us...when we found out he lost his hearing a few years after we graduated, how we cried! But it was nothing like the tears that flowed and the outpouring of alumni who came and sang the beloved Alleluia (Randall Thompson) at his memorial service when he died too young of a heart attack, those d..n cigarettes he constantly smoked!). No one was like Mr. Wentworth....
(More about him, I'm happy to provide....concerts with Randall Thompson conducting us as we sang his music; Michael Colgrass' premiere at Boston Symphony Hall of the contemporary choral piece "The Earth's a Baked Apple"; Thompson's "Alleluia" at Graduation; "Wimbawe" as we left the risers at springthing (see below); Mah-may-me- moh- moo every morning warm up and how Mr. Wentworth would vary it to keep us on our toes; the lecture hall (Earth's only paradise); Carmina Burana; Vivaldi's Gloria.....it was heaven on earth, the only thing that made coming to school really something to look forward to, starting out each day feeling fantastic and alive......nothing has ever come close....)
Of course, select choir would not be complete without Dean Aldrich and his wonderful piano accompaniment and quirky ways; and Dean handled the ultra select "special" choir, we did mostly madrigals, he was so good at working with a small bunch....quiet and quirky, he knew his stuff. Mrs. Putukian came to play one year when Dean was not around; she was great!
Those long Saturdays in Boston - I could not forget the lady who taught me all I know about singing - Ms. Afrika Hayes, daughter of the famed African American tenor Roland Hayes....at age 12, what did I know about life, music? But she was patient and giving and knew how to get me to relax and find my voice; I stayed with her til age 22...... what a presence, what a voice, what a beautiful lady......thank you thank you thank you Ms. Hayes!!
Then there was scary, Ichabod Crane looking Mr. Devries, piano maestro extraordinaire, whom I sure was exquisitely frustrated at having to teach such a slow stubborn study as I.....yet, through his introducing me to Czerny, Bartok and other contemporary/Eastern European piano greats, I learned technique and history I never thought I'd be able to..his scary pushing did something after all!
There was also the lovely and shy theory teacher, I've forgotten her name, but so dear and gentle and smart, teaching me all about theory, harmony, sightsinging and dictation, what a challenge and what a fascinating skill! I had to give up Mr. Devries as I could not practice as much as he would have liked me to (after all, I was a singer and into theater!). So we found wonderful Mrs. Balekdjian, private piano in town, whose passion for her instrument, music and down to earth way of teaching and talking kept me at the keyboard another two years despite my flagging interest. Thank you!
And at college - James Olesen, music professor/choir director MASTER,at Brandeis - another superstar, amazing talent, caring, high standards, taught us fantastic vocal technique, gave us such challenges, his artistry and passion, his love for music and way with people - just someone incredible.....what a sound he got us to produce!! I was never prouder than being in the choir under his direction! He was and is a pro......
SO...why "Tra La It's May? the Lusty month of may, the lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray,
It's time to do a wretched thing or two, and time to make each precious day one you'll always rue!"
Camelot as sung by Julie Andrews
While in high school, every May the school put on a "Spring Thing". Back in the 70's, this meant plenty of batik, silk screen printing posters, art work, outdoor musicians, food, sports, and raffles....plus events, concerts and theatre (no plastic moonwalk bounces for us, thank you very much! it didn't even exist then!). The kids of the school ran it and planned it. The center piece was the spring choral/band/orchestra concert, and the theatre department's spring musical. My freshman year, the musical was Camelot. As a lowly freshman, I was allowed to be only in the chorus....but that didn't matter. Watching the upper classpeople perform was a gift. May became a magical time, not just due to Spring Thing's festive air, but because performing in Camelot in our headbands of flowers and long dresses, secretly swooning over the guys playing Lancelot and Arthur, and pining to be the gal who played Guinevere, "The Lusty Month of May" became our anthem for May and spring and all things wonderful associated with music....it rings in my head every May since!
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WORK RELATED (just so you know I do work!)
Catching up on back requests, as the school year is winding to a close, people are contacting us for resources on curriculum for next year, budget issues, sacred music issues, cut backs to staff issues, materials for courses they're planning next year, and students with their final papers. Eureka has sent out the survey this week, and I've got to get on the stick updating the info on state standards that Eureka will use in the analysis of the results!
RESOURCES
Latest SBO survey on use of music tech in the classroom
MUSIC ED on line
AROUND the WATER COOLER
Very effecting, this girl can SING! Not the complete video, can't find - from Idol Gives Back, Jeff Beck and Kelly Clarkson
You like Idol? You like to vote? Help pick the song the finalist sings/records!
American Idol songwriting contest
See you next Wednesday! SR
