Lit the yahrzeit candle at sundown. Now listening to music that Laura played. Schubert Impromptus and Kinderszenen. Her friend Daisy Abel took this picture in the summer of 2009. I had asked Daisy to come stay with Laura during the day while I was at work. Laura was recovering from a major operation to cut out as much of the brain cancer as possible.
When MRIs showed that there were still cancer cells remaining along the edges of the surgeon’s cut, we had to wait for Laura to receive stereotactic radiosurgery to get at them. We went up to the Ogontz Suzuki camp in August right after the SRS. When we got back, I remember Laura listening to Anne Mei play Corelli’s La Folia, which she had heard other students playing at the camp. During this time the realization was sinking in that all treatments were failing. Our mood was not helped by Ted Kennedy’s death from the same brain cancer while we were at Ogontz.
From the Caringbridge blog:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 10:24 PM, EDT
I was on furlough today and Anne Mei had no school; so there was a quiet family day of housework, yardwork, and school shopping. When we came home with Suzuki Book VI, Anne Mei (on her own initiative) spent the next 2-3 hours working on learning Corelli’s La Folia. Although she is just starting the process of learning, already she is bringing out the emotions of the theme, which so expresses our own feelings at this time.
Anne Mei’s violin teacher Louise McClure played Corelli’s La Folia at Laura’s memorial service. She commented later that this piece was so appropriate for who Laura was. Unfortunately I do not have recordings of either Anne Mei or Louise’s performances, but here’s another lovely rendition. I particularly like how the violinist Miho Hakamata let’s the music display all the emotion.