The fact that we essentially lost three years off our lifetimes due to the pandemic really hit home today. I had a lesson with a long-time student of mine whose last lesson was March 23, 2020. Because of his advanced age, and the risks of the coronavirus, we had postponed any lessons past this date until today when I saw him for the first time in three years.
I know that March 23, 2020 was the date, because he was one of those students who brings me a composition book in which I write comments and new assignments. March 23, 2020 was the last date in which I listed the names of the pieces he played plus a paragraph of comments and specific assignments, such as those I wrote below for practicing a particular four-part hymn:
- Practice the right hand part which includes the soprano and alto parts together.
- Practice the left hand part which is the tenor part.
- Practice the pedal (bass part) separately.
I had even written the supposed date of our next lesson in his book … March 30, 2020 and of course there was a blank spot since we cancelled the lesson due to the world coming to a standstill with the coronavirus news.
To my utter surprise, he took this list of pieces as his daily and irrefutable assignment for the last three years! I mean, he diligently practiced these same pieces, in this same order. When I suggested that we skip ahead to another piece on the list, he protested vehemently that I was not following the right order.
PLUS … he had memorized all my comments verbatim, and recited them back to me! I never knew my comments would be taken so seriously!
That’s what you call diligence!
This past week a group of us from the American Guild of Organists got together for a mailing party … to stick on address labels and stamps on a postcard featuring our next visiting artist (and my next houseguest!)
Concert organist Dr. Caroline Robinson has performed at many distinguished venues across the U.S.A and abroad. She currently holds the post of Organist and Associate Choirmaster at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, GA. There, under the direction of Canon Dale Adelmann, she shares organ playing and accompanying responsibilities with Artist-in-Residence Jack Mitchener, and she leads the RSCM-based Chorister program. She is also an active continuo player with early music ensembles, having performed at the Rochester Early Music Festival, San Francisco’s American Bach Soloists Academy, and now regularly with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra.
Caroline will be playing two concerts in Hawaii, one at All Saints Episcopal Church in Kapa’a, Kaua’i on Thursday, March 16 at 6:00 pm, and the other at Central Union Church on Sunday afternoon, March 19 at 2:00 pm.
The Hawaii Chapter of the American Guild of Organists only hosts one guest organist per year and our track record over the last 16 years has been unblemished insofar as bringing extraordinary and exceptional artists to Hawaii. This concert is not to be missed!
You can be assured that we have done our due diligence in seeking out extraordinary and exceptional “Rising Stars” to perform on our series!