Archived Topics
New England School of Music
Posted By: Gary <littlef@adp.uchc.edu>
Date: Thursday, 26 December 2002, at 8:10 a.m.
How many remember the New England School of Music located on Railroad Street underneath Curran's Pharmacy. I think the owner was a Mr. Carbone. Anyone get music, instruments or lessons from him or his other teachers?
Posted By: maud
Date: Friday, 27 December 2002, at 11:59 a.m.
In Response To: New England School of Music (Gary)
music schools? What was the music "school" in the barn behind the Bacon Funeral Home at Prospect and Turner Streets? I remember the Railroad Street school but didn't go there? What other musical personalities does anybody remember? I know there were piano teachers and I remember buying piano music somewhere on Main Street, but where? Were there any local bands that kept places going?
Posted By: Helen
Date: Friday, 27 December 2002, at 12:47 p.m.
In Response To: Re: New England School of Music (maud)
Maud, was that something called the Connecticut School of Music - it had ballet classes there? I went and watched a friend dance there on afternoon did Evie MacFarlane have something to do with it?
Posted By: Virginia Darrow <vadaro@cs.com>
Date: Saturday, 28 December 2002, at 12:23 p.m.
In Response To: Re: New England School of Music (Helen)
I believe it was a Miss Blanchette (can't remember her first name, although it might have been Marie). She also established the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra which later relocated to New London and is still in existence. There was a friend or maybe a relative who taught dance at the same studio.
Posted By: Jean Manter <Jmanter@hotmail.com>
Date: Saturday, 28 December 2002, at 3:33 p.m.
In Response To: Re: New England School of Music (Virginia Darrow)
Albina Blanchette (aka Bina) and sister Marie were the starters of the School of Music. Then they branched out and their barn was for Dance. I took piano lessons from Bina.
Posted By: Helen
Date: Monday, 30 December 2002, at 9:08 a.m.
In Response To: Re: New England School of Music (Jean Manter)
who were other piano teachers in Willimantic? my mind is at a loss! I took some
lessons in grammar school(Windham St)violin and tuba and french horn- never
amounted to much! didn't have the right mouth and never knew where my fingers
were! all in the 50s!
Posted By: Jean Manter <Jmanter@hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, 30 December 2002, at 11:53 a.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Helen)
Sorry, Helen, I can't remember any others at the moment....perhaps someone out there has a memory of someone they took from.
Posted By: William Brainard <wbrainard@juno.com>
Date: Tuesday, 31 December 2002, at 8:29 a.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Jean Manter)
My grandmother, Ruth Welles, was music supervisor for Windham, Coventry and surrounding communities in the 1920s. I understand she had a music studio for paino and voice across from the footbridge where the Liberty bank building is now. We have a few programs from her recitals around somewhere.
Posted By: amc
Date: Tuesday, 31 December 2002, at 10:53 a.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Helen)
In the 50s I took piano lessons from Winifred Kelley on Pleasant St and Clifford Donnelly on a little street off Pleasant St. Does this help any body remember?
Posted By: Ada Kerachsky Albright
Date: Thursday, 2 January 2003, at 12:12 p.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Helen)
I briefly took piano lessons from Eleanor Grant. She had a dimly lit "studio" on the second floor of a building on Church St., but lived in South Windham with her elderly parents (I believe that her father had been a minister). She also ran a small nursery school above the South Windham fire dept. for at least three or four years (and taught each of the children piano, too!). My younger siblings attended.
Posted By: Helen
Date: Thursday, 2 January 2003, at 12:42 p.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Ada Kerachsky Albright)
Did Maybelle Taft give piano lessons? I seem to recall that name, but why? There must have been more than those listed so far? please help!
Posted By: Jean Manter <Jmanter@hotmail.com>
Date: Thursday, 2 January 2003, at 11:35 p.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Helen)
Clinton Helmold lived on the northeast corner of Chestnut and Prospect Street in the big house that now has a smaller house on what was then the Helmold front lawn. He taught the violin I seem to recall and he also was a conductor of an orchestra.
Posted By: amc
Date: Friday, 3 January 2003, at 7:10 a.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Jean Manter)
Thought so! House was adjacent to the Taylor- Hathaway property! The Helmolds had a "resort" lodge and cabins on Lake Sebago in Maine we spent most Augusts there in the 50s! I have heard the orchestra info also!
Posted By: Jean Manter <Jmanter@hotmail.com>
Date: Friday, 3 January 2003, at 3:25 p.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (amc)
Not only did they have the camp at Sebago but Ann, Clint's wife, also ran a restaurant on Main Street where the old Rex (anyone remember that?) used to be. It was between Fullerton's and the Hardware Store on the corner by the footbridge.
Posted By: amc
Date: Monday, 6 January 2003, at 6:51 a.m.
In Response To: Re: piano teachers (Jean Manter)
I've heard about the Rex but it was before my time! I used to spend a couple weeks every summer at the brown and orange lodge in Maine in 40s/50s - remember the "clamshack" just down the street? Had a haircut from the barber that arrived in the "seaplane"! Wouldn't be called a resort these days!