Wow, the internet can be a magical place of connections. I wrote elsewhere about finding a never before seen photo of my paternal uncle who looked so much like my Dad.

After I read the article that P*D posted about Ruth Slenczynska, I started thinking about my piano teachers. I didn't study for long and was a mediocre player at best. I was certain that my teachers, a husband and wife duo, have to be long gone. A little searching led to confirmation that they have both passed away.

Along the DuckDuckGo way, I found several articles about a pianist named Norman Malone. There was also mention of Lester Mather, my first teacher.

A long, and sometimes difficult read:

https://www.chicagotribune.com...d-but-not-his-dream/

As I was reading the article some pieces started to fall in place and buried memories came to the surface. I realized I heard Malone play back in the 1960s.

Lester and Frances Mather taught at a rinky-dink music school out in the suburbs where we lived. Every year they would have a student recital where we would all dutifully play something for an audience of friends and family. One year the recital was held in the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I recall it being a big deal because we had to go "downtown", which was considered a major excursion. At the end of the student program, the Mathers introduced a pianist who played a piece written for the left hand; I'm not certain what it was, but the pianist was Norman Malone.

I remember Mr Mather being rather serious and I was a timid kid who found him kind of scary. I ended up switching to take lessons from his wife Frances. After reading about what he did for Norman, I feel like I missed knowing a very special person. I had no idea that he was a fairly well-regarded pianist and teacher at the Chicago Musical College. He not only took Norman on as a student, but he rebuilt a grand for him. Norman still has that piano.

And back to Norman...there was also a documentary made about him...For the Left Hand. The video is available to rent on Amazon Video, or for free on Hoopla, the library e-book and streaming service.

https://www.newhavenarts.org/a...right-note-at-nhdocs

https://www.normanmalonefilm.com/

That’s an amazing story. Thank you for sharing.