“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
—World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.”
from ‘Ode’ by  Arthur O’Shaughnessy

I believe that the purpose of the teacher is to draw out the best in her pupil, it is in this unique exchange that both pupil and teacher  help reveal their true selves.

Every week for the past 3 years we took our daughter Ella to see Bella at the summit of Beacon Hill in Newark. Some weeks I would drive Ella but mostly my wife had the pleasure. The weekly dash from school to Newark could always  be a little stressful but you could always be sure of a welcoming sofa and a warm cat on your lap.

Bella had an extraordinary ability to connect with our daughter in a way that is very rare.

My family and I were all extremely sad to learn that Bella had passed away in March after a very brief but intense illness.

The magical thing about music is that it transcends our physical forms. It is sustained through the magic that travels between people. I know that Ella will carry some of the music Bella shared with her.

Although Ella will eventually find another teacher to help her learn to play the piano there will not be another person that could take her on the flights of fancy that Bella Conn took her.

I know Ella loved her, they were good friends in spite of the age difference.

Bella revealed some of Ella’s potential and for that I am grateful. Our youngest daughter Rosa was equally sad. Bella happily allowed Rosa to tinkle away on the piano each week and I know Rosa was looking forward to fun sessions learning to play with Bella as her teacher. Rosa remembers with delight the time we were sent outside to pilfer as many ripe plums as we could pick from the tree in the garden.

Music lives on…

Here is a recording I made on my phone one evening not long before Christmas last year. I had completely forgotten about it! It was one of those lovely impromptu moments at the end of a lesson where  they would ‘play’ in the proper sense, this time Bella asked to hear what Ella had been learning in singing lessons at school and off they went!

I am sorry about the poor quality of the recording, I had little idea at the time how significant this would be on so many levels. I think you also, will hear some of the magic I heard happening that evening, whilst that cat sat purring on my lap…