This past weekend in Toronto, I heard Rosemarie Blanc’s piano students perform. There were nearly 70 of them. Normally, one would expect some to play excellently, some very well and maybe a few to be not-so-well prepared for any number of reasons. What an incredible experience to hear each child play with joy, confidence, musicality and competence, covering the full range of beginner to advanced repertoire. Every piece flowed rhythmically and accurately, with a clarity of purpose and total engagement from the performer. It was only after the last student finished that I fully realized the miracle of what I had witnessed.
Over the past twenty-five years, Rosie has been my friend, Suzuki trainee, Mastering the Piano and Bigler~Lloyd-Watts Music Camp teacher. For approximately fifteen of those years, I have journeyed annually to her studio for a workshop. It has been such a privilege to observe her ever-upward trajectory as a pedagogue. This year, there seemed to be a gigantic leap forward in the pleasure and accomplishment of her students.
Rosemarie embodies what I wish every student of every subject could have: a loving teacher who cares first about the well-being of her pupils, who has the goal of giving the best lesson she can every time to every child, who learns from each lesson and who spends her spare time exploring, learning and growing so that the next lessons will be even better.
Hats off to my beloved friend and esteemed colleague!
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