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Stanford Student Thrives on Piano Lessons with CCMS Instructor

by Jeff Selesnick Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Esther Elonga and her family fled to Uganda as refugees when she was only three. Her parents thought the family’s stay in Uganda would only be a matter of months, but it ended up being nearly 13 years. Life was difficult as refugees in Uganda, with her and her family enduring a season where her father fell sick, a time when her mother generated all the income for the family, and months when rent money was in short supply.“Music played a really important role in our life,” she recalls. “We used to pray together as a family at night, and every time we would pray, we would start by singing. We mostly sang Swahili hymns, and they were important to us because they gave us hope. Those songs were our stronghold, helping us to continue trusting in God.”Her nightly singing sessions with her family also exposed Esther to the power music has to build community. Despite being the only Congolese family in their area of Kampala, Uganda, neighbors heard Esther’s family singing every evening and slowly began learning the songs and participating in the evening prayers. “Even if you don’t understand the language, I think everyone can identify with the meaning of these songs,” she says.After the extended stay in Uganda, Esther and her family resettled in Concord in December 2014, halfway through her sophomore year in high school. Adjusting to the culture, food, and weather proved to be challenging, but Esther completed a successful tenure at Concord High School and was accepted into Harvard upon graduation.While she sang sporadically with the Songweavers women’s chorus in high school, Esther’s relationship with Concord Community Music School truly began in the spring of 2020. Forced to return home during her junior year at Harvard when the pandemic shuttered the campus, Esther found herself with some precious free time for the first time in years. And she knew exactly what she wanted to do with it.“It had always been in my heart to learn to play the piano and to specifically learn to play these Swahili hymns from my childhood,” she says. “Singing those songs again would take me back to those moments in Uganda. Yes, there were some painful moments, but also moments of hope and joy with neighbors and friends.”Esther received the financial aid she needed and started taking virtual lessons with piano faculty member Rebecca Herst. The early days were, as Esther puts it, “bumpy”; adapting to the Zoom lesson model, starting an instrument she had never played, and learning to read music for the first time in her life. But as she progressed and started honing the basic skills, with Herst’s help, she was able to begin focusing on learning the hymns of her childhood. “The music to these hymns was never written down, and Esther wanted to learn to play them and integrate that into the church/hymn-singing practice she experienced in Uganda,” says Herst. “I think it’s a lofty, unusual, and selfless goal and she’s coming along nicely.”Because everything started and stayed on Zoom, she was able to take classes through the end of her undergraduate career and has continued them even as she moved out west to begin the Medical Scientist Training Program at Stanford. While she was home for Christmas break in December of 2023, Esther had the opportunity to finally meet her instructor in person, and she and Herst could barely contain their excitement during their first, and to this point only, in-person lesson. Esther was even able to participate (virtually) in her first recital this spring, submitting a video of her performing a Swahili hymn from her childhood. The rigorous academic schedule at Stanford leaves little time for practicing, but Esther makes a point of rising early on Wednesday mornings for her session with Herst. “It’s a difficult journey,” says Esther describing the eight-year program she is currently in. “I enjoy everything that I’m doing but I can’t negate the fact that it’s difficult. These songs bring me back to a time where it was difficult, and I made it through, and they continue to encourage me along my journey.”Zoom allows Esther to stay in touch with Herst and her music education community, a constant throughout different locations and her many accomplishments. Watch Esther’s video performance on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=Ny-dgp-OZ7E
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CCMS Ensembles Show How to “Be The Change”

by Jeff Selesnick For years, choral ensembles have been a flagship offering for Concord Community School. With concerts dotted intermittently throughout the performance calendar, there are regular opportunities to hear these groups perform, each with their own unique makeup and style. On June 1, as part of CCMS’ year-long celebration of its 40th anniversary, for the first time in school history, five different vocal ensembles will come together for the “Be the Change” collaborative choral festival at South Congregational Church in Concord. The quintet of choral groups features a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and musical styles. The Canterbury Singers, a teens and adults ensemble directed by Kathy Southworth, partners with nearby Canterbury Shaker Village to present authentic Shaker music, as well as American folk songs and early American music. Peggo Horstmann Hodes founded the Northern Lights Women’s Vocal Ensemble in 2018 and the group sings folk, jazz, classical, pop and beyond. The Purple Finches are the youngest of the groups with members ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade and Director Maria Isaak “searching to find balance in the repertoire with pieces that are accessible, will expand the students’ knowledge base, and also stretch them musically.” Jennie O’Brien will lead the Songweavers Women’s Chorus, which will be accompanied by the Songweaver Drummers led by Grace and Lindsey Schust. Sunset Singers, led by Kathy Burpee, rounds out the represented ensembles. “I love the fact that we are all gathering to have a special concert to sing together and to celebrate the 40 years that the school has been here,” says Burpee. Hodes believes “this will create deeper connections between people and voices that is very powerful. We will get to hear and see everyone sing in their own groups, which is something we have never been able to do.” The idea for the concert was born during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, when the CCMS vocal ensembles (along with the rest of the school’s students) were forced to find creative ways to come together. From finicky Zoom rehearsals to parking lot practice sessions, the ensembles persevered and rallied behind an anthem entitled “We Rise Again” (which will be performed at the concert) that Canterbury Singers director Kathy Southworth hand-picked for the moment. “I had a vision of all of our singing groups at CCMS performing it together once we were able to sing together again,” recalls Southworth. “I talked about the idea with Maria and Peggo and both agreed that this would be an exciting endeavor if we could pull it off given all the variables.” Each group has found its own unique way to prepare for this concert nearly four years in the making. Isaak’s Purple Finches, for example, will participate in a single combined rehearsal with the other groups ahead of the concert, but have made good use of practice recordings, Google classroom, and the mentoring structure within the chorus to prepare. “This is always an invaluable experience for many reasons,” notes Isaak. “That concert space will be filled enthusiastic, joyful adults who are rooting for these youngsters and sharing that hope and joy quite directly with them; through performing together and literally singing the same lyrics.” With all groups eager to share the stage in this celebratory event, the hope is for a shared joyous experience among singers and audiencemembers. “My hope is that the audience will smile broadly, be touched by the sweetness of the sound of all these singers, and feel connected to CCMS in a visceral way,” says Hodes. “And the singers will feel the same as the audience, plus the joy of celebrating CCMS and 40 years of music-making in our home away from home.” Members of the Northern Lights Women’s Vocal Ensemble prepare for the upcoming “Be the Change” Concert on June 1. Advance ticket purchase is recommended: learn more and order tickets here.
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Sarah Cooley: the Value of Musical Friendships

There are certain familiar elements on any given afternoon when classes are in session at Concord Community Music School. Parents navigating the Fayette Street lot to drop off or pick up their kids, students ducking into practice rooms to prepare for an upcoming lesson, and a unique blend of melodies emanating from the hallways. Familiar faces are a key part of this fabric as well, and one of the most familiar is that of singer/songwriter Sarah Cooley. Along with being a music therapy student since 2015, Cooley has performed her music at multiple CCMS-sponsored events, started taking piano lessons this past fall, and has been a constant voice for disability awareness in the community. She also regularly volunteers her time to assist in the Music School’s community outreach and is joined in her efforts by her parents Seddon Savage and current CCMS trustee Carl Cooley, who have been CCMS supporters for years. Music Therapist Tony Varga started working with Cooley in the fall of 2023 and immediately took note of her artistic sense and passion for writing lyrics. While he takes the lead on developing melodies and chord progressions for their co-authored songs, Cooley crafts the lyrics, which she often uses as an outlet for emotional release, self-advocacy, and to promote disability awareness. “Sarah is always appreciative of the time and work that we put into her music, and it is gratifying to witness those special moments when she feels totally empowered by the art that she has created,” says Varga. Piano department co-chair Kathy Southworth notes that “(Sarah) understands the power of music for self-expression and for sharing with others. It’s always a happy moment to see her walk through the door!” Sarah was inspired to share her thoughts about her music, her lessons, and her time at CCMS in a piece she titles, “My Experience.”My Experience by Sarah Cooley It has been great being a part of the Concord Community Music School. I have been going there for nine years as a student and have gotten to know the faculty and staff. I have had some traumatic experiences in my life including bullying when I was young and several complicated hospital experiences, so music therapy has been a great way for me to work through my feelings about those experiences. I like to write song lyrics, and my music therapists have helped me set those lyrics to music and occasionally perform. My first music therapists were Julieann Hartley and Matt Roy, and I went on to work with Katy Gibney and Keady Kanelos. I am currently studying with another music therapist named Tony Varga. He’s an amazing guy, and I am enjoying my time with him. Tony has been helping me address my feelings through music including singing, rapping, and recording.For a long time, I had been wanting to take piano lessons in addition to music therapy. Fortunately, I was able to begin lessons this fall with Alex Tkaczevski, a new teacher at the Music School whom I met at the CCMS open house in September.I also enjoy volunteering at Music School events and helping the staff with special projects. Finally, I am proud to be a donor to the school. I love being a part of this organization and sharing my love of music with others who love music.Within the next few months, Sarah will be starting what she calls “a new chapter” in her life: moving to Sarasota, Florida. Although Sarah has lived mostly independently in her Concord apartment for years, this will be the first time she’s living so far from her family and friends. She admits to being equal parts excited and nervous at the prospect. She hopes that her current NH employer will allow her to transfer to its Sarasota store; otherwise, she’ll look for a job elsewhere. Sarah looks forward to staying in touch with her CCMS musical family.###
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