"Release" speech

Antipodian weather -- wintry and frosty at the moment -- brings daily dilemmas and choices as to which warm clothing is needed to face the day … does one choose a t-shirt under a thick shirt or a short … or long sleeve poly-pro undershirt … and for the lower extremities, will it be long-johns with corduroy or long-johns plus lined blue-jeans … then, back to the torso -- the outer layers will require the daily sweater, of course, plus a choice of vest: heavy, felt (‘Swandri’) or poly-pro … Once these quotidian decisions were made, some additional ones followed last Thusday, to wit: choosing words for a speech at the public launch of our CD (“RELEASE” played by La Belle Alliance, a violin/piano duo) at Marbecks in the Wall Street (Dunedin … haha) Mall. What follows is a smattering of what choices were made… at least many of the ideas were represented … i think … “It is great to have all of you here for the launch of our CD. Thank you for coming! Looking ahead to this moment today did get me thinking back … about technology … recalling the advent of the previous technology in sound preservation: the LP of the mid 50’s. Even before, when I was living in a distant speck of the world -- Watertown, New York – when I experienced an even bigger thing in terms of technological advancement: Mrs. Shadle’s TV! My first images, etched by that black and white magic are of an intrepid explorer/mountaineer fresh from conquering Everest (Edmund Hillary) and, equally vividly at about the same time, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth! Much later, while living in New Zealand, I saw the life of Sir Edmund celebrated and appreciated. The newspapers and airways were full of information about the many kindnesses and many good deeds he accomplished after his extraordinary athletic feat. His character demonstrated the many facets that New Zealanders are famous for: cheerful helpfulness, a quiet modesty and a deep caring for others and how the rest of the world fares. More recently, in watching the celebrations of the Queen’s Jubilee, I found it interesting is to think that those early memories of mine have come together in this land of Sir Edmund Hilary and the sway of the Queen. New Zealand is a country that cares about music, honours music in its education and has an ‘educated’ audience of great discernment. It is not surprising then that there are so many marvelous composers in the country and quite a number in Dunedin! The Uni Music Department alone includes a past Mozart Fellow, Anthony Ritchie; the current Mozart Fellow, Robbie Ellis; and at least three other composers as well, John Drummond, Peter Adams and Graeme Downs. Today, for me, is an opportunity to celebrate a confluence of events that combine those of six decades ago with one of twenty years ago, when I met Tessa. The CD we recorded together is the one of the things resulting from our getting acquainted in the cafeteria at Princeton University where the Waterloo Music Festival dined … she was searching for a good cup of tea… and I spotted an opportunity to be a help … After marrying in Knox Church a year later (I must have passed the tea test) we lived in the states until six years ago, when we moved to Dunedin planning to create a life for ourselves and our children. The composers and their works on this CD represent our new place – home for Tessa and now, a new home for me. We take a certain pride in the CD because we feel that part of the life of a musician includes being connected to time and place. By strange coincidence, the box containing the freshly minted CD’s arrived the same day as a letter in the post from New Zealand Immigration and Naturalisation with the news that I had been approved to receive New Zealand citizenship. (In an ironic detail, the date set for my Pledge of Allegiance to the Queen is July 4th, the day that independence from the crown is celebrated in the states!) As we launch our CD then, I feel emotionally overwhelmed by this confluence of the events of the past that have brought us here and I would like to say to all of you present: here is a an offering … of your music … Thank you for having me!”