Oct 26, 2007 14:17
I received some bad news I really wasn't expecting last night - my music teacher from high school, Ms Simms, had died earlier in the week. It was especially unexpected as she was certainly younger than my parents and I remember her getting married and having her little boy when I was back in school.
Ms Simms was my music teacher for five years, and my sister's teacher for four years after that. Her passion and enthusiasm for music as well as her skill in passing that enthusiasm onto her students was one of the reasons I took gcse music despite being completely unable to actually play any musical instrument (I think its like my love of languages - I adore linguistics and learning about their complexities but I'm useless at learning languages, in the same way I also love music but completely lack the ability to play.) I clearly remember sitting in the music room at lunchtime eating sandwiches and waiting for Ms Simms to start the lesson with all the rest who, like me, were taking the subject in their spare time (lunch hours mostly) as a labour of love. they were good days and I still have tape copies of the compositions I submitted as coursework with Miss Simms as part of the little ensemble performing them, playing piano on some and even singing on one.
It's a distant hope but if anyone reading this used to be in the St Julies choir, they are reforming to perform at the funeral. I'll try to get a contact for former members to reach the organisers.
Wherever you are Ms Simms, I hope you are being serenaded by the sweetest music.
real life