An Ode to Harmony
By Tatiana Andonovski (mother of Scipio Zamparo age 12 and Tilia Zamparo age 10)

On Saturday 2nd July 2016...
As I was watching the Kodály Maestra directing her crowd of keen followers in a seemingly effortless manner, I reflected on the seven BBCM communals I had attended as a parent and pupil. After repeatedly being overcome by goose bumps, I came to the conclusion that this communal was to me by far the most profound and most perfected one… despite the fact it had been hardly rehearsed...

On these occasions... but not only
I inevitably think of my dear friend Zsuzsi Ardo, who introduced me to Agnes Kory one cold December night of 2009 at the Christmas concert of the Hungarian Embassy. I will always remember the first time I spoke to her. I still have a vivid memory of Agnes, wearing her BBCM T-shirt (of course), and I, trying to make a good impression and convince her that my children (aged 3 & 5 at the time) would be ideal elements in her class. What immediately struck me was her direct approach, the dedication pervading in her speech, the genuineness lighting her eyes and how in a few words, she had changed my meaning of the word commitment, bringing it to another level, or dare I say, another dimension...
Saying that meeting Agnes changed my life, Stéphane’s life and my children’s lives is no understatement. And I’m sure numerous BBCM members feel the same.

About the communal...
It is always such a joyous event, with its fair share of healthy pressure, piano removal, last minute adjustments, precipitated rehearsals (or not), sheets of music flying, music stands being unfolded (in time, or not)... Yet again, to everybody’s relief and gratefulness, it took place in the beautiful and spacious abode of Clare and Mogador, former BBCM parents and remarkably relaxed and welcoming hosts. They make it so easy for us to invade their family space without the slightest hint of annoyance. Thank you!

Doors open...
Open is a good word to describe our melting pot of stranded Londoners, taking it all in, no matter what. A luminous and airy room is there for us to gather in, a beautiful garden awaits the young (and not so young) children who can trampoline at whim, or just get some fresh air when the sol-fa goes to their heads... Everybody comes in with various levels of anticipation and anxiety. Are we late? Oh no, good. We’re not the last ones. Will my child sing when asked to sing or behave accordingly? Will the baby cry during the aria... or worse... during a rest... For with Agnes you learn that the rest is the most important element in music writing...

The set-up...
Little by little, the cast of white and maroon protagonists assemble on stage. The BBCM community in all its glory! Characters of all nationalities, religions, ages, backgrounds, cultures, languages, laymen in music, professionals, new members, founding fathers, external supporters... It’s a mix, just take your pick. And enjoy... Let yourself be immersed in this one-of-a-kind & out-of-this-world musical experience. Whatever you think, this is the place to be. And you can feel music being disseminated throughout the house, reaching deep into our hearts and souls. You can hear it, you can sense it, and you can almost touch it. And it touches you, inevitably. Indeed, I was deeply touched throughout our 90 minutes gathering. And the feeling was clearly shared by the merry and enthusiastic singers, pupils, musicians, performers, parents, fans, friends and family.

The overture...
Agnes announces the programme and explains the reason for this Suzi Gold memorial. I know the story, I have heard it seven times before, but I still find it such a beautiful project. And this year more than the previous years because the Kindergarten generation is fully strengthened... Then, confidently, she leads on her disciples, knowing they will perform to the best of their abilities, her eyes twinkling in tune with the melody.

Polyphony...
To start off with a three-part round with four-bar units, distributed between the three classes. This is the least you can expect from this very distinguished musicianship school. Moving on to Haydn’s Harmony, three parts distributed between three classes. And, of course, the Mosquito song as a four-part round. A BBCM communal essential!

In a jumble...
The 9am ensemble (Hugo, Leto, Mimi, Pedro, Rafferty, Rebecca, Alexander, Aya, Joseph, Konstantinos, Theo), docilely but nonetheless willingly gave us a performance of “With my Hand I clap, clap, clap”, with Michael on the piano (with Humperdinck's accompaniment). And to make the experience complete, we listened to the audio of a full operatic performance of the same song.
The 9.30am ensemble (Herbie, Lia, Patricia, Tessa, Adam, Boyan, Dani, Erin, James, Julian), joined in merrily, so used to listening to Agnes, fully trusting her guidance, following her hand sol-fa, or even lip-reading...
The 10.30am ensemble (Evie, Agnes, Maggie, Tilia, Clara, Juliette, Scipio and Konni) and ex-BBCM students (David, Hester, Francesca, Felipe and Michael) duty-bound and music-bound, performed a five-part round by Haydn (Willst Du Immer Weiter Schweifen) and they also sang a three-part Bartok chorus (Leanynezo) beautifully.

All in all...
Surprising, thrilling, overwhelming... You name it. An array of human emotions on offer and an array of pitches too... The chirpy sounds of babies, the shrill voices of impatient toddlers, children proudly sol-fa-ing away as if there was no tomorrow, unaware of Agnes’ theory according to which... “sol-fa gets into your body”... and it does! At different stages, places and times, and sometimes unexpectedly, but it happens.

German singing to the fore...
We were fortunate enough to hear a brilliant duet featuring Juliette and Clara (who had come back from a school trip to France at 1.30am... talking of commitment). They sang “Im Wald” and “Abends” by Humperdinck, followed by the BBCM house band playing “Abends” again. And we also heard a superb trio (featuring Julian, James and Scipio) singing an excerpt from the “Finale” of the Magic Flute.

The piece de resistance...
The main instrumental piece revolved around “Frère Jacques”. We sang it first in French in Major, then with sol-fa in Minor and, then… The house band blessed us with a very special rendering in a four-part round. A triumphal premiere! And after we listened to the audio example of the third movement of Mahler's 1st Symphony (with Sir Georg Solti conducting) I was again overcome by goose bumps when Agnes commented on how well the children had done. It was a true success. Musically, it goes without saying, but also symbolically. Seeing our children as budding musicians or turning into accomplished instrumentalists, playing in unison, presenting a united front, coming together naturally, masterfully orchestrated by Agnes, thanks to a universal medium: music, with one single goal : harmony.

The goal...
Indeed, the 2016 communal was an Ode to Harmony and this is all thanks to Agnes’ gifted approach and generous legacy. Ninety minutes of peace and Harmony. This is the communal feat we all achieved, under the leadership of Agnes. How? Because Agnes Kory is amazing. What she does is phenomenal. What she achieves is invaluable. What she gives out is immeasurable. Her mark is everlasting. Thank you, Agnes!

Bravo!...
While I’m here, reminiscing, sharing feelings and much more, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the younger/newer generation. And this time, I’m not talking offspring... No, I mean parents! Yes, you, you and you! You also deserve applause, congratulations and encouragements. Not only because you have to make sure that you and/or your children are at 8.55, 9.25 or 10.25 at 6 Frognal Court most Saturdays of the year! But also because for your children to enjoy and benefit from Agnes’ treasured talents, you need to believe in Agnes’ prowess and earn Agnes’ faith in your commitment... An intricate balance to strike!

And Hurray!...
I also want to congratulate the “older” generation, or the “old guard”, if I may, for their on-going support and renewed faith in Agnes’ kind and magical deeds. We ALL know how rewarding it is. Musically, but not only... For Agnes Kory is a woman true to her word, devoted to giving children the best music has to offer, so they can thrive in life, as accomplished musicians but also as maturing teenagers and responsible adults. The fact that former pupils come and help out is a living proof. Michael, David, Hester, Amber and her children, Francesca... They’re all so gifted and ready to give their time and dedicate it to such a good cause.

Refreshing...
As Agnes put it... It was refreshing to see 2 year-olds having fun dancing in an opera scene and seeing parents take pride in their children’s achievement. It was heart-warming to see our host, Clare, and her daughters, organising the feast-to-follow, setting up everything so each and everyone could socialise amicably afterwards. It was uplifting to witness such a varied forum, evolving, sharing, communicating, exchanging, singing Ode to Joy in German because no BBCM communal is a communal without Ode to Joy.

The recipe...?
Find the right and best ingredients and make sure the cooks are reliable, committed and prompt. Lay the base for a trusting relationship, spread ounces of talented instrumentalists, pour over singers with a superb and surprising vocal range, add a pinch of pitch, a score of scores, some scales (for good measure), pick the best tunes (round and ripe), restful rests, quivering quavers and keep on hoping, keep it coming, keep on singing, keep it ringing, keep on taping, keep it sounding, keep on mixing. And then? Then Agnes, The Master Chef, gives you the world. Not the world how it is but the world how it should be. A world of harmony.

A mini-Ode to Harmony...

Spread the word
Spread the music
Tell your children
Tell everyone
Harmony exists
I must insist
All around you
Make it come true

Addendum...
I needed to tell you what an ordeal it was for me to see the numerous praising messages sent to Agnes after our communal... I felt like saying “stop writing all these nice things otherwise I won’t have anything left to say!” I couldn’t read them... for fear of seeing my ideas stolen before my eyes. So I held off. But I have now read them, and they’re just added proof that my review isn’t an exaggeration and that the exhilarating moments I told you about were shared by each and every one!

Agnes Kory at the 2nd July 2016 workshop.