I first met Lise while on a campus visit during the spring of my senior year of high school. The admissions office arranged the appointment when I expressed an interest in flute lessons. I did not have my flute with me during the visit, so I wasn't able to audition for her until I arrived in the fall of 1978 as a freshman. I was placed in a class with three other students, though I only remember the names of two of them: Megan Thoresen and Mary Sillers.
Lise was a shock after two years of taking lessons from Dr. Cunningham at Darien High School. Dr. Cunningham was the band and orchestra director and gave lessons to those of us who were beginning instrumentalists. He gave me a VERY basic introduction to the flute. Because there weren't many flutists in our school, I was first flute second chair in the band and second flute first chair in the orchestra. Lise also auditioned the flutes for the MSU band, and I became the last chair flute. I had a lot to learn, and Lise started the process.
I pulled my journal from that time, and I found only two entries mentioning my flute class (in the context of my class schedule) and only two about Lise. The longer entry reads
Lise got really upset with our flute class today. We don't sight read very well, and we all know it, but she gets frustrated when we don't try. When someone mentions the words "sight reading" we just kind of clam up.But she must have gotten through to us, because I definitely remember being a better sight reader when I continued lessons with Mrs. Leeson in Rockford. Lise taught us to look at a piece of music in terms of interpretation. She introduced us, or at least me, to intentional work on skills. During my year in her class I played in my first recital, even though both pieces I played were ensemble pieces. I also stage managed the program.
Lise took an interest in our whole lives as students. She was one of the very few people at MSU with whom I talked about my interest in Science Fiction.
Sometimes I wonder what kind of a flutist I'd be if I'd stayed at MSU for all four years of college. Lise was tough, but I learned more from her about what it means to be a flutist than from any of my other teachers.
I was in high school band with Lise. She was quite a character, in addition to being an excellent musician. I know she had a pretty severe form of diabetes since we were kids. It's so nice to hear what an impact she had on your life!
ReplyDeleteI was really interested to read your post about Lise - I learned about 2-3 years ago of her passing and could never learn anything more. I was a student at Moorhead from 1976-78, only one year with Lise although I didn't have her for a flute teacher, we hung out together at times and talked a lot about music, life, etc. I totally enjoyed the year with her and it is so sad she is no longer with us.
ReplyDeleteLise and I arrived at Moorhead State in the fall of 1977. I was a freshman, and she was certainly a major figure in that formative period of my life. We remained close and I visited her in Seattle at least once or twice a year where she lived with her mother and sister. She suffered a stroke in her office at Seattle U. late on a Friday afternoon, and wasn't found until mid-morning on Saturday. Her wheelchair-bound, post-stroke years were frustrating for her, as those who remember her as a dynamic ball of energy can imagine. Lise was a true wild spirit with a sharp intellect and a biting sense of humor.
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