[Dixielandjazz] FW: J. Bliss
Charlie Hooks
dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com
Tue, 04 Jun 2002 19:55:24 -0500
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Listmates:
I've been forwarding your comments on young Bliss to Shirley Mackie, who
comments as follows:
----------
From: "Shirley Mackie" <foxwhisker@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 10:05:32 -0500
To: "Charlie Hooks" <charliehooks@earthlink.net>
Subject: J. Bliss
Thanks for your forwardings. Now we know the kid has had total commitment
from his family since day 1 -- that's what it takes for development of a
real talent. Only a few parents are smart enough to realize they must "pay
the price" which involves not only money but the sacrifice of their own
"normal" life style, and not sending the kid to the daily grind of public
school which wastes untold hours of each day. And not least of all, it
requires a mother willing to take on the role of "stage mother" and spend
years living in a different country (e.g. -- Julian studying in the US as
well as the UK).
Jeremy Menuhin (pianist son of Yehudi), I knew when he was a kid. Yehudi
certainly expected to sire a musician, and had the money to see that boy
studied from infancy with the very best of the teachers in the world...no
public schools for him. My contact with Jeremy was when he was studying
harmony in France with Boulanger. Until Jeremy was almost 16, Yehudi paid
for a nanny to provide a homelike atmosphere for him in Paris, in CA, in
London, in Vienna so all of the child's time was devoted to piano, harmony,
solfege, etc.
Juliana Osinchuk (pianist) had Ukrainian parents -- her father a medical
doctor -- who managed to get to NYC where her mother worked in a sweat shop
while her father learned English well enough to pass Med. Bd. Exam so he
could practice in NYC. Her mother started her studying piano when she
discovered the 2 yr. old had perfect pitch and was sitting on piano bench
playing comps her mother had just played for her. At 4, she was accepted to
study piano and harmony with Louise Talma (Prof. at Hunter College -- Louise
was a life-long student (and God child of Boulanger). Juliana never set
foot inside a public school until she was 23 yrs. old and visiting me right
here. I had arranged for her to give a couple of solo concerts in Waco,
and took her to Riesel with me one day to visit the band classes. She was
overwhelmed to find kids with no private lessons, no training in music other
than band classes, an everyday schedule filled with all manner of courses
and extra-curricular junk filling 16 hours of their day could play so well.
When J. was 9, her mother took her to Paris to study piano and solfege at
the Paris Conservatoire, and harmony (privately) with Boulanger. They
didn't see "Papa" for two years. They lived in one room in Paris -- had an
upright piano, a pot bellied stove, a tiny table with 2 chairs, a bed, and
used a toilet that was downstairs -- and typical of most living arrangements
in such places, the toilet did not open into the residence, so one went
outside in order to get into it -- and in winter, the water for the toilet
was always frozen.
Juliana won 1st prize at the Conservatoire when she was 11. They returned
to NYC after that, but Juliana went to a school run by Ukrainian Catholic
Sisters. She was not required to attend school beyond noon and spent
afternoons studying piano with the best teachers in NYC, practicing as well
as continuing the study of harmony with Talma. When she reached 9th grade,
she went to NYC's school for the multi-talented -- 1/2 day of school and the
rest of time devoted to their chosen study and practice.
When Juliana was 11, she filled in for Jean Casadesus who became ill and
could not fulfill his scheduled concert in Carnegie Hall. Needless to say,
she received rave reviews.
I suspect a study of the top instrumental concert artists (all of 'em) would
reveal 95% of them did not attend public school, and had tremendous backing
and devotion from their families.
S.
Post script:
Nancy Griffin wrote telling me my source of Julian Bliss commentary was
impressive, and I answered:
She is, indeed, an impressive woman in every way. Back in early 50s she
tried out for and won clarinet chair in the Chicago Symphony, the first
woman ever to do so. But before she could report for work in the Fall, her
spine collapsed during the Summer, and she had to learn crutches and braces
and other uninteresting things. She did, went to Europe when women were not
allowed in symphonies, played in them anyway and in several opera
orchestras, made a name for herself as a composer, appearing on the cover of
European edition of "Women Composers of the 20th Century." Returned to
Waco, Texas, her home town and "retired" from playing. Became a millionaire
through investments (starting with almost no money at all).
Through mere chance she is my oldest friend, having met at age 13 when I
moved into Waco thinking I was a young hotshot clarinet player and came bang
up against Shirley Mackie. I never could get around her, not even come
close, and had to play saxophone in order to achieve 1st chair. We've
remained close all these years.
She is very private, lives in a Waco suburb where neighbors haven't the
foggiest notion who she is or what she has achieved. Until her parents
died, everyone thought she was living with them in their house instead of
the other way round. This is just as she wants it. None of their
business, she feels, a greater curmudgeon than I. I'm blessed to be her
friend.
charliehooks@earthlink.net
Charlie
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<TITLE>FW: J. Bliss</TITLE>
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Listmates:<BR>
<BR>
I've been forwarding your comments on young Bliss to Shi=
rley Mackie, who comments as follows:<BR>
----------<BR>
<B>From: </B>"Shirley Mackie" <foxwhisker@msn.com><BR>
<B>Date: </B>Tue, 4 Jun 2002 10:05:32 -0500<BR>
<B>To: </B>"Charlie Hooks" <charliehooks@earthlink.net><BR>
<B>Subject: </B>J. Bliss<BR>
<BR>
Thanks for your forwardings. Now we know the kid has had total commit=
ment from his family since day 1 -- that's what it takes for development of =
a real talent. Only a few parents are smart enough to realize they mus=
t "pay the price" which involves not only money but the sacrifice =
of their own "normal" life style, and not sending the kid to the d=
aily grind of public school which wastes untold hours of each day. And=
not least of all, it requires a mother willing to take on the role of "=
;stage mother" and spend years living in a different country (e.g. -- J=
ulian studying in the US as well as the UK). <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Jeremy Menuhin (pianist son of Yehudi), I knew when he was a kid. Yeh=
udi certainly expected to sire a musician, and had the money to see that boy=
studied from infancy with the very best of the teachers in the world...no p=
ublic schools for him. My contact with Jeremy was when he was studying=
harmony in France with Boulanger. Until Jeremy was almost 16, Y=
ehudi paid for a nanny to provide a homelike atmosphere for him in Paris, in=
CA, in London, in Vienna so all of the child's time was devoted to piano, h=
armony, solfege, etc. <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Juliana Osinchuk (pianist) had Ukrainian parents -- her father a medical do=
ctor -- who managed to get to NYC where her mother worked in a sweat shop wh=
ile her father learned English well enough to pass Med. Bd. Exam so he could=
practice in NYC. Her mother started her studying piano when she disco=
vered the 2 yr. old had perfect pitch and was sitting on piano bench playing=
comps her mother had just played for her. At 4, she was accepted to s=
tudy piano and harmony with Louise Talma (Prof. at Hunter College -- Louise =
was a life-long student (and God child of Boulanger). Juliana ne=
ver set foot inside a public school until she was 23 yrs. old and visiting m=
e right here. I had arranged for her to give a couple of solo concerts=
in Waco, and took her to Riesel with me one day to visit the band cla=
sses. She was overwhelmed to find kids with no private lessons, no tra=
ining in music other than band classes, an everyday schedule filled with all=
manner of courses and extra-curricular junk filling 16 hours of their day c=
ould play so well.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
When J. was 9, her mother took her to Paris to study piano and solfege at t=
he Paris Conservatoire, and harmony (privately) with Boulanger. They d=
idn't see "Papa" for two years. They lived in one room in Pa=
ris -- had an upright piano, a pot bellied stove, a tiny table with 2 chairs=
, a bed, and used a toilet that was downstairs -- and typical of most living=
arrangements in such places, the toilet did not open into the residence, so=
one went outside in order to get into it -- and in winter, the water for th=
e toilet was always frozen.<BR>
<BR>
Juliana won 1st prize at the Conservatoire when she was 11. They retu=
rned to NYC after that, but Juliana went to a school run by Ukrainian Cathol=
ic Sisters. She was not required to attend school beyond noon and spen=
t afternoons studying piano with the best teachers in NYC, practicing as wel=
l as continuing the study of harmony with Talma. When she reached 9th =
grade, she went to NYC's school for the multi-talented -- 1/2 day of s=
chool and the rest of time devoted to their chosen study and practice.  =
;<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
When Juliana was 11, she filled in for Jean Casadesus who became ill and co=
uld not fulfill his scheduled concert in Carnegie Hall. Needless to sa=
y, she received rave reviews.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
I suspect a study of the top instrumental concert artists (all of 'em) woul=
d reveal 95% of them did not attend public school, and had tremendous backin=
g and devotion from their families.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
S. <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Post script:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Nancy Griffin wrote telling me my source of Julian Bliss commentary was imp=
ressive, and I answered:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
She is, indeed, an impressive woman in every way. Back i=
n early 50s she tried out for and won clarinet chair in the Chicago Symphony=
, the first woman ever to do so. But before she could report for=
work in the Fall, her spine collapsed during the Summer, and she had to lea=
rn crutches and braces and other uninteresting things. She did, went t=
o Europe when women were not allowed in symphonies, played in them anyway an=
d in several opera orchestras, made a name for herself as a composer, appear=
ing on the cover of European edition of "Women Composers of the 20th Ce=
ntury." Returned to Waco, Texas, her home town and "retired&=
quot; from playing. Became a millionaire through investments (starting=
with almost no money at all). <BR>
<BR>
Through mere chance she is my oldest friend, having met at age=
13 when I moved into Waco thinking I was a young hotshot clarinet player an=
d came bang up against Shirley Mackie. I never could get around her, n=
ot even come close, and had to play saxophone in order to achieve 1st chair.=
We've remained close all these years.<BR>
<BR>
She is very private, lives in a Waco suburb where neighbors ha=
ven't the foggiest notion who she is or what she has achieved. Until h=
er parents died, everyone thought she was living with them in their house in=
stead of the other way round. This is just as she wants it. &nbs=
p; None of their business, she feels, a greater curmudgeon than I. &nbs=
p; I'm blessed to be her friend.<BR>
<BR>
charliehooks@earthlink.net<BR>
<BR>
Charlie <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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