It was only after I had been here a couple of days that I was contacted through Facebook Messenger, completely by surprise! I did not know these people were in London at this time!

 

Zen Kuriyama is doing research on the composer Gerald Finzi at the Royal Academy of Music.

Today was actually only the second time we have met. The first time was only briefly when Zen was in Bloomington, IN to audition for his second master’s degree, and we happened to see each other in the hallway of the Music Department of Indiana University where I was visiting Dana Marsh.

We met in the Garden Cafe of the Victoria and Albert Museum for lunch, the first time we have been able to talk for an extended time.

You see, Zen sang in the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir but it was after I had retired as organist. He wrote me this nice note after my husband, Carl, had died:

Hi, Kathy!

I just wanted to let you know how much I thoroughly enjoy your blog. I initially heard of it when I sang as a chorister at LCH (August 2013-March 2015). I never knew Carl, but—as you know—his death had a profound impact on the LCH community. I will never forget singing Fauré’s In Paradisum the Sunday after Carl died, and half the choir practically could not continue due to an overwhelming production of tears and sobs. I endeavored to know more about Carl, and I turned to your blog. I was intrigued and moved by your writing, and the subject matter you wrote about, and I recently subscribed!

I attended Joey (Fala’s) recent organ concert at LCH (2015), and was absolutely blown away—what an extraordinary and sensitive musician. You must be so proud!

In the Fall, I’ll be attending Stony Brook University, where I was admitted to the Master of Music in Voice Performance program with full-funding and a teaching assistantship. So, know that you’ll have a fan in far-away Long Island!

All best,
Zen Kuriyama

Now Zen is currently enrolled in the Master’s program at Notre Dame University (Indiana) with studies in Church Music and Choral Conducting. He’s not finished with his education, though—he wants to pursue a doctoral degree after this second master’s is completed.

The second person I heard from through Facebook Messenger was organist Isabelle Demers, the “diminutive dynamo” who played an organ concert in Honolulu (2011) and stayed with us as a houseguest. Her message was dated 2:15 am (!) and apparently she only arrived today!

She is in London to play a concert at Westminster Cathedral on Wednesday. Unfortunately I won’t be here on that day since we’re traveling to Gloucester to hear Evensong, so Isabelle invited me to meet her tonight for her practice session, where we were shown the organ by Peter Stevens, assistant.

Isabelle now teaches at Baylor University in Waco, TX where she succeeded Joyce Jones.

Oh, I did see the Victoria and Albert Museum and took a bunch of pictures. My favorite parts were the sections that were air-conditioned! Seriously the heat wave in London continues, and is especially uncomfortable in the London Underground (the Tube).