Ancient history – Yet Another Year of Insanity

Today Daryl Akamichi, a former organ student of mine, tagged me in some old programs he saved from the 1980s. He said he turned pages for me, and remembered attending the rehearsals and services for this performance.

Looking at all of these brings to mind two words: Ancient History!

My first two performances of Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” on May 22, 1983. We performed it in the regular Sunday morning services.

Look at all the names of the participants! I am so glad Carl Crosier always included a personnel list in the church’s programs so we can look back 37 years later and smile. Sadly, many of the people have passed away, but a handful are still singing in the church choir.

Daryl also posted our Bach Magnificat program with the Ensemble Players Guild, March 12, 1983.

Another program Daryl posted was this faculty recital by Henry Miyamura in which I played a piece by Professor Allen Trubitt, who was the Chairman of the University of Hawaii Music Department who hired me in 1974. The date of the concert was November 1, 1982, only 17 days before I gave birth to my son, Stephen. I do remember people gasping as I walked out on stage, because I looked VERY pregnant in a bright red dress and on the verge of giving birth any moment. (Sorry no one took a picture of me, though!)

I remember the Trubitt piece being VERY dissonant and my poor baby (in the womb) having to listen to me practice all those jarring dissonances.

It was fun to look at all these old programs! The truth is, I have boxes and BOXES of these old programs in my storage unit and in my closet. Someday I will have to organize them.

It makes me a little sad, though, because in these days of the pandemic, we cannot hold in-person concerts or services and who knows when we will be able to resume? Today the United States passed over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, and last week, one of the virus’ victims was Annie Glenn, the wife of astronaut John Glenn, who died at the age of 100. Did you know that she was offered admission to the Juilliard School of Music as an organ student? Read her obituary here.

She visited Grace Cathedral in San Francisco with her husband in 2011 to see “Exploration,” the cathedral’s stained glass window featuring the astronaut. Annie, who gave up an organ scholarship to Juilliard when WWII started, played the cathedral organ, to the delight of everyone assembled!