So the Piano teacher told my parents I needed a violin teacher and that he had taken me as far as he could. In searching for a new teacher, I'm sure money was a factor, my folks found a little old lady on Montrose Avenue, near California Avenue in Chicago, who taught violin from a little store front. She actually taught, violin, piano, mandolin, guitar and accordion! She lived in a small apartment in the back of the store front.
Her name was Columbia Havens, which now looking back on it sounds like a made up name. She grew up in Kansas and would tell me stories of steam engine trains and riding horses. I loved her like a grandmother and she seemed to be fond of me too. I learned a lot from her and I'm sure she helped instill in me the idea that I could make a living someday, if I wanted to, with my violin. She took me through most of my High School years. Unfortuantely, one night there was a fire in her apartment, probably from an electric heater she used and Columbia suffered smoke inhalation. She lingered in Swedish Covenant Hospital for almost a month before she died. It was very devastating for me to lose her.
During my sophomore year of High School I joined a Folk Group that was starting at my church. I had been singing in the High School Chorus and this seemed like a good opportunity. I was able to use my violin at church too. We sang together for many years, through my High School and College years and for many years after I was married and raising children. We would bring our kids with us to rehearsals and such. I'm sure this also had a good impact on my kids, many of whom have made music a part of their lives too.
Through the Folk Group, I began performing with one of the members at the local Ground Round restaurants. We performed together through my College years and then again when we were both married we formed a group with two other people, a Son and Mother, in fact, and performed at a local Catholic High School at one of their fundraisers.
When we moved out of Chicago to Libertyville, I joined a community chorus out in Lake Zurich. I sang with that group for 13 years. It was directed by a woman who taught music at the school I was working at and I sang with her and a few other members of the chorus in a women's trio and a mixed jazz group. These were some of the best years and experiences of my musical life. Between the Folk Group and this Community Chorus, I was shaped into the singer I am today.
This is the basic story of who I am as a musician and some of what my family life was like growing up, but like anything else this is only one aspect.
I can't believe it! Every few years I think to Google Columbia Havens and this time look what showed up? She was my violin teacher for a few years until the fire and she was my sister's piano teacher until my sister broke her arm and my parents took pity on her and finally let her quit (which she now regrets). It was devastating to lose her.
ReplyDeleteI actually own her old violin which my father bought from her family. Sadly it sat in a case for way too many years and is not playable. I'm thinking of possibly having it restored for my daughter who has been playing violin for about 3 years now.