More About GG's Memorial Service

When I became ill, Natalie tried to do my job and teach her normal schedule. It was, of course, impossible. I recommended the brass teacher to take over my job. He did great. It was a huge learning curve but he had the educational chops to pull it off.

He was ill for the Memorial Service but asked me to read the below:
Back in the fall of '05 I was desperately trying to maintain continuity in the music program going; actually, the music department was doing just fine but I thought the fate of ***’s premier instrumental program was entirely up to me. I was wrong of course but I knew one thing: GG had hired me years earlier as a trumpet teacher and I understood then, and now, that she expected much from her music faculty. The following reading is, for me, a fine reflection of GG's values. I found it amongst her files.

Here's the text of the reading I was hoping to do; in my absence I was hoping (me) might do the reading.

"Servant and master am I: servant of those dead,

and master of those living.

Through me spirits immortal speak the message

that makes the world weep and laugh,

and wonder and worship.

I tell the story of Love, the story of Hate,

the story that saves and the story that damns.

I am the incense upon which prayers float to Heaven.

I am the smoke which palls over the field of battle

where men lie dying with me on their lips.

I am close to the marriage altar,

and when the graves open I stand near by.

I call the wanderer home, I rescue the soul from the depths,

I open the lips of lovers,

and through me the dead whisper to the living.

One I serve as I serve all; and the king I make my slave

as easily as I subject his slave.

I speak through the birds of the air,

the insects of the field,

the crash of waters on rock-ribbed shores,

the sighing of the wind in the trees,

and I am even heard by the soul that knows me

in the clatter of wheels on city streets.

I know no brother, yet all men are my brothers;

I am father of the best that is in them,

and they are fathers of the best that is in me;

I am of them, and they are of me."

For I am the instrument of God.

I AM MUSIC

-Anon.

It was so much fun to see the kids I taught in Kindergarten all grown up and working in their fields of study. I loved seeing the parents I knew so long ago. It was lovely to see the founder of the school and a long ago head. It was uncomfortable to see the current head. She just gave me a little wave and scurried away.

I mostly loved talking with the music faculty. I so love each and every one of them.

The music needs to receive a special notice. A former student who arrived at the school in the early 70’s who is an excellent pianist and one of the violin music faculty members performed throughout the service. They brought us together with “Air” from Suite No. 3 by Bach.

We were asked to join together and sing two verses from Amazing Grace. Always a favorite and every child at the school knew that song.

After my reading, they performed Ava Maria with the violin as the voice. It was stunning. People around me began to cry.

After words from former students and GG's son, the pianist performed the most beautiful Moonlight Sonata I have ever heard. As it is a favorite, I have heard it performed many, many times. I closed my eyes just to drink it into my body and brain. Everyone was sobbing around me. The shear beauty of the music brought me to tears. I don’t have the words to describe how beautiful it was.

The school has a song that every child learned and was sung at the end of every performance. It was Let There be Peace on Earth. We were asked to stand and sing it together. It was so perfect.

Salut D’Amour by Sir Edward Elgar was played as we left the service.

We were served a lovely lunch where I was able to take a few grapes and a bite of bread as I talked with everyone.

It was a very satisfying day, which brought with it so many memories of my 14 years at the school.

My adrenaline was so high and I felt great! Many mentioned how great I looked and noticed my weight loss – about 40 pounds since I had seen them in 2005. The adrenaline wore off and I crashed about 5:00 that evening, I fell into bed at 6:30 and slept through the night. Michael said I snored. I, of course, deny that!

It will be a few days to collect all of my conversations and memories from the service and think about all the children I knew.

I deeply miss the school. I deeply miss the students. I deeply miss the faculty. I do not miss the hard work. I do not miss the administration.

My memories of the school, after everything that has happened, are good. It will be best to focus and remember the people and the music as I go forward.