The next decade....what's in store?

End of a music era

I just wrote in the Elan Parle entry that I played piano for 15 years. Just heard that my teacher for 13 of those years, Fay Ennevor Robotham, collapsed at home yesterday and is no longer with us.

I believe I started going to her because my cousin was going to her. We both lived in Mona. There was a piano at home - both my mother and granny used to play. I don't know if I displayed an interest in the piano...I really don't remember that at all, but anyway, the next thing I was walking down Palmoral Avenue, crossing Mona Road and heading down Karachi Avenue to music lessons.

She was a spinster throughout my time as her student. She used to teach, piano, violin and voice. She herself had a lovely voice, I believe a soprano.

I used to hear stories from friends about their teachers rapping them on the knuckles with a ruler when they didn't play something properly. Not my Miss Ennevor. If you hadn't practised sufficiently, she would just gently let you know you had to work harder, and she would insist that you come in on your own time to practise.

During the turbulent Manley years, she went away to Canada. When the new term started and my father dropped me off, the house was locked up. We assumed she had migrated, so I was enrolled at the School of Music. I didn't like it. After two years, I went back to Miss Ennevor. School of Music didn't believe in exams so I had lost two years, after getting a distinction in Grade 1.

She made me do both Grade 4 and 5 in one year. Boy that was taxing, but I succeeded, getting a distinction in Grade 4 and a merit in Grade 5. I was marching towards my diploma. By then, I was in university at Mona and I suppose I lost interest a bit. Plus the antique piano we had at home was on her last legs. No tone, no proper sound so it wasn't exciting to hear the notes.

I then left for Nassau to complete my degree and there endeth my piano lessons. Whenever I see a piano, I sit and try and remember some pieces. My grandmother left her piano to me when she passed away so one day I will get back to it.

I won't have Miss Ennevor to teach me. She had by now married the gentleman who always used to visit when I was still her student. They got married after I left.

Robert (Mr Endicon) became her voice student and he went on to be quite a splendid barritone (or is it bass barritone?). The last time I saw her was in the supermarket on one of my trips home this year. She was looking well. The time before that was at a function at Robert's house when he came home for holidays from England. She was looking well. If I had to guess, I would say she would have been about 75. A good life still. She was a great teacher, very gentle, very in touch with her students, knew what each of their strengths and weaknesses were, and wanted the best for all.

Rest in peace Miss Ennevor.

Posted by yamfoot at November 16, 2006 06:45 PM