I come from a long line of musicians. My grandmother, Mildred Salisbury Hellemann (1900-1988), was a piano major in college. Upon graduating, she married my grandfather, Arthur Christian Hellemann (1901-1991), who was a local farmer. Though she was a busy farm wife and mother of three, she gave piano lessons to many area children and fostered a love for music in the community. She was active as the pianist and organist at our local Baptist church, where she also accompanied the choir and played for many weddings, funerals, and other special occasions. At one point she was one of John Philip Sousa's trombonist's accompanist.
Two of Grandma's best students were her daughters, Dorothy (my aunt) and Mary Ann (my mother), and both girls were also talented singers. Both girls continued their mother's tradition of teaching piano, and they participated in their church music programs as vocalists, choir directors, pianists, and organists. Additionally, they passed on their love of music to most of their children and neighborhood students. We were poor when I was growing up, so we couldn't afford formal piano lessons; however, I was fortunate to have my mom and grandmother, who lived next door to us, to teach me. They fostered a love not only for piano and singing, but also for playing the flute when I had the opportunity to join band. My sister was much more gifted at playing the piano than I, and I remember spending many hours with her at the piano playing duets and singing. Holidays in our home were filled with much music around the piano. Music provided not only a creative outlet for us, but also an escape from life's difficulties.
My grandma was honored by our church when she was 72 for her 50 years of service as pianist and organist. I was only 10, but I remember what a special day it was and what a wonderful accomplishment that was. When my mom's health was failing, she was similarly honored for almost 60 years of musical service to the church. A total of 110 years is a very long legacy, and my sister continues there today. I've no doubt that she will hit 50 years herself soon.
I excelled on the flute and was fortunate to have my mom's and grandma's encouragement and excellent accompanying skills. I have had the opportunity to work with many outstanding musicians in my life, but the one who influenced me most was my grandma, because she encouraged and pushed me to perform musically as well as technically. I studied music in college and became a band director, recently retiring after 35 years of teaching. My own three children all studied piano, and they played in band on clarinet/bassoon, French horn, and trombone/percussion. My youngest was a percussion and composition major in college before switching to another area, and both of my older children participated in their marching and concert bands in college. I have two grandchildren who are little now, but I look forward to introducing them to the wide world of music as it is age appropriate.
" "My grandma taught lessons on a baby grand piano in their old farmhouse. In about 1940, there was a fire, and the whole house and all of its contents were lost. They were able to rebuild, and they replaced the piano with a new Mason and Hamlin in about 1944 or 46. (Serial number suggests it was made in 1942.) All of Grandma's children and students took lessons on the piano, and she practiced for all of her church services and performances on it. When my grandparents downsized into a smaller home, my mom got the piano. My sister and I started taking lessons when I was in about 2nd grade and continued through high school. The piano was at the center of our small home, and we spent much time around it. With my mom, my sister, and I all playing the piano, it got much use. By the time I was in high school, we were both in choir, which necessitated practice at home, and we both played in band. One of my greatest loves was playing my flute in church, with my mom or grandma accompanying me. My mom also accompanied me for all of my contests and competitions, as well as university auditions. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had not just one, but three accomplished pianists in my family to play for me. We spent hours practicing, and always knew I was lucky to have such a beautiful instrument in our home.
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her 79th birthday. Her prognosis was 6 months. She lived for almost 17 months, continuing to practice our faithful (though neglected) Mason and Hamlin at home and played for church up until eight weeks before she passed on Easter Sunday, 2014. The piano sat unused in their home until her husband passed in 2022. Time and the elements have taken a toll on it. It's once beautiful case shows many scars, and the ivories are anything but white. I believe the hammers arms (shanks?) are made of plastic, as it was new when the piano was manufactured. They've definitely deteriorated, and many of the keys stick. There are a couple of broken strings. As far as I can tell, the sound board is intact.
I rescued the piano when we cleaned out mom's house and have cried more than a few tears over it, as I don't know what to do with it. As it sits, it is pretty much worthless. When I look at it, though, I don't see a broken down, neglected instrument. I see years of music and entertainment and family fellowship and fun. I hear my mom practicing her prelude for Sunday's service. I hear us playing Bach's Ave Maria for a wedding or Martinu's Flute Sonata for a college audition and hundreds of hymns and other favorites. I hear many, many Christmas carols. I see three blind students to whom my mom gave piano lessons but who taught us much more about life. I don't have the means to fix it, yet I can't bear to part with it. (Who would want a piano in such poor condition that doesn't play?) Our once honored heirloom is now little more than a piece of dilapidated furniture. Today, as I was packing up my house for a move to my new husband's home, I looked at the piano again and made the decision to dispose of it. In a last ditch effort to find it a new life, I went on Facebook to see if there was a group of piano techs who might be interested in restoring it, or at the very least, turning it into ""art."" I came across your competition, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to complete this application. I love that you are doing this and hope that you will consider my sad, neglected little Mason and Hamlin worthy of a new life. It will be cherished and loved as it was for so many years.
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YEAR 1940-1950
- MAKE Mason and Hamlin
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FINISH Wood Finish
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CATEGORY CONTESTANT
