Good luck, Jennifer!

Once upon a time there was a girl named Jenny who played piano and violin and took piano lessons with my friend Vlad. Jenny was the eldest in a family of umpteen, home schooled, dressed in home-made skirts and dresses, always the same style, that made her look like a Mennonite. She had to look after the younger children and obey her parents, because that is what their particular Christian teaching told them. She never had any fun.

When she was 21, Jenny begged and pleaded with her parents that she be allowed to attend university, to take music, which she so loved. She would continue to study piano with Vlad and violin with the teacher at our little music department, and she arrived, looking around 12, with a high, tentative voice, and odd clothes. She worked hard and she did well.

Meanwhile, her mother heaped on the work at home, household chores, minding the little ones, and tried to undermine her attempts to practise or do homework. Jenny decided that she had to leave, and this was not taken well by her parents. She went to live with a family which attended the same church, within walking distance of the school, and her own parents virtually disowned her. She would still see them at church, but when her little brothers and sisters ran over to greet her, their mother would come and say, “We’re going to sit down now.” Poor Jenny was very sad.

Fortunately, she was in the bosom of another loving family, and making friends at school. She took courses that stretched her creativity, like music composition, and practised lots. We watched her go from the shy, retiring mouse who wore funny skirts, to a more “normal” young woman who actually wears blue jeans and T-shirts. She has a sense of humour and turned out to be a very talented composer.

Last night she gave her graduation piano recital. On the programme were Bach, Beethoven, Shostakovich and Schumann. She played the Beethoven as though she were personally angry with the composer. She smiled through the second half. It was a very nice recital and extremely well attended by her adoptive family, her school friends and professors, and grandparents. Sadly, her own parents didn’t come, nor any of her siblings. Her grandfather expressed regret at his own son’s absence.

Jenny’s future has Christian missionary work in it. This is where she comes from and what she believes in. I hope she decides to become a composer instead. The world has enough Christian missionaries, but not enough good women composers.

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