Music

Music

My Journey Towards the Guitar

One of my earliest memories is telling my Grandmother Anna, a remarkably accomplished pianist and piano teacher, that I wanted to become a conductor. I was four or five years old and pictured myself in a gorgeous blue dress with a wide skirt in front of the orchestra. My Grandmother was kind and gentle, but she abhorred lies. “But Gunilla,” she said. “There are no female conductors.” Now, every time I go to hear the BPO and Joanne Falletta is conducting, I think of my Grandmother and tell her: “See, we have made some progress in the world since your time!”

There weren’t any female guitarists either, but my father owned a pretty good nylon-stringed guitar, so when I began to realize that I would never become as good a pianist as my older sister, Clara, I started to teach myself the guitar. Sweden had very good music education in the public school system and a decent after school music program as well. The expense of private lessons was out of the question, but the community program was free and only required a year of studying the recorder before you could pick your instrument. I chose guitar, but the program was full, which left me with three options—quit, pick another instrument, or take another year of recorder hoping for better luck next year. I played Bass and Alto Recorders in the school orchestra that year. When the time came around for applying again, I put down both clarinet and guitar, because I was tired of the recorder. Since they had more applicants than places they resorted to lottery as they felt that system of selecting students was more fair and democratic than any other. Sweden, after all, was a socialist country and such considerations as talent, knowledge, or aptitude were not considered democratic.

When I came to America as a Fulbright Exchange student in 1982, I was amazed and intrigued at how positive and encouraging everybody was. I met some fantastic mentors who helped me tremendously and that is the relationship I want with my students. I try to make them feel welcome and give them a learning environment free from stress and pressure. The goal is always the music. I tell them: “It doesn’t matter what you play; only how you play it is of importance. Some kids can play more advanced pieces, so what? Good for them. You play at whatever level you are at the moment, and you play it as well as you can.” I tell them what Segovia said about failing in a recital or a concert: “The sun goes up the next day.” It is not the end of the world.

By the time I came to America, it was a bit late to pursue music as a profession (I was 24), but I did wander into the music department at Penn State and managed to talk the young guitar teacher, Mark Maxwell, into taking me on as a non-major. He was very patient and encouraging. When I went to Chapel Hill to pursue a doctorate in Literature I ventured into the music building and asked William Stewart for lessons. He was adamant. He could not possibly take on any more non-majors. Disappointed, I tapped on the doorpost with my long right-hand nails. “Do you play?” he asked. Intimidated, I only nodded. “Show me,” he said and virtually threw this huge, black guitar at me. I played the “Romanza,” and I was accepted. I played for Billie (as we called him) for years and participated in his ensembles, duets, quartets, one year we even had a 12-member ensemble of classical guitars!

We moved to Buffalo, NY, because my husband got a job here. Once my daughters were in school I had little to do, so I called The Amherst School of Music for a guitar teacher. I was unaware of the school’s stellar reputation, I only called because I knew where it was located! Mr. Bianchi put me in contact with Mir Ali and thus with the whole world he would open up for me during the now more than a decade that I have taken lessons from him. He made me Vice President of The Buffalo Guitar Society in 1997 and I have assisted him with the planning and execution of the Rantucci International Guitar Festival and Competition ever since. Because of him, I have performed in Master Classes with such fantastic guitarists as Stanley Yates, Stephen Aron, John Holmquist, Luis Zea Nicholas Goluses, and the Pearl and Gray Guitar Duo.

Currently, I am taking lessons from Professor James Piorkowski, Chair of the Guitar Department at Fredonia University.  His studio is a calm and concentrated space and his motto is written on the wall above the window: “Excellence is a matter of choice.”

I am grateful to all of them for all that I am learning, although I came into music late in life.

I am currently teaching three young students classical guitar as a part of the newly established Amherst School of Music Cantor Susan Wehle Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship for young women, in her honor.

My teaching awards include:

1. America’s Best Teachers Award, 2000, 2002, 2004. 2006.
   

2. Who’s Who Among America’s Women, 2004, 2006.
   

3. List of Most Influential Teachers, Daemen College, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006.