Remembering Mrs. Stella G. BrimoDuring times of reflection, I often think about the people who have touched my life in many ways. As a child, I grew up in a home filled with music. My grandparents were both musicians. My grandfather was head of the Cello Department at the University of the Philippines and my grandmother taught violin at the Concordia College and gave private lessons. As well, they were members of various symphony orchestras, primarily the Cultural Center of the Philippines (“CCP”) Orchestra. My mother and two uncles were in the recording industry having produced, recorded and sang a lot of commercials used in television, radio and the movies. It was, therefore, inevitable that I would follow in their footsteps. At the age of four, I began taking piano lessons at St. Paul’s College only to be told by my instructor, after one year of study, that she had nothing more to teach me. She said that we should try checking into either the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomas or the University of the Philippines for further lessons. When my mother informed my grandfather about this, he immediately suggested that I be introduced to his good friend, Mrs. Stella Goldenberg Brimo, then Dean of Music at the University of Santo Tomas (“UST”). I remember hearing him tell my mother: "She is the BEST piano teacher in the Philippines." An appointment was made and we met Mrs. Brimo for the first time. During that meeting, she scoffed at the notion of teaching “beginners.” However, as a favor to my grandfather who was her friend, she agreed to audition me. (As a five-year old, I had absolutely no idea what an "audition" really meant.) Fortunately, my age and naiveté prevented me from being intimidated by who she was. Although Mrs. Brimo was born in the Philippines, she is of French and Jewish parentage. She spent her childhood in the famous Goldenberg Mansion in Malacañang, which her parents owned. She has a Teacher’s Certificate and an Artist's Diploma from one of pre-war premier institutions in Manila -- the Academy of Music, and also has her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UST. As part of her intense musical training, she went to Germany to study the intricacies of Brahms and Beethoven. On weekends, she would take the train to Vienna to learn about Mozart and Haydn. 
She was also the soloist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years and performed in recitals with other renowned artists like Ruggiero Ricci, Gilopez Kabayao and Sergio Esmilla. As a teacher, she taught at St. Paul’s College of Music, St. Joseph’s College and served as President of the Manila Symphony Society. Her most prominent tenure was at the prestigious College of Music at UST where she became its first female Dean of Music from 1971 to 1980 and was part of their faculty for forty years (1948-1988). 
Had I known all these at the time or perhaps had the ability to comprehend her prodigious reputation, I might have lost composure. Fortunately, I went ahead with the audition. After listening to me play and discovering that I had the elusive gift of “perfect pitch,” Mrs. Brimo ran out into the halls of UST in disbelief. Almost instantly, regular lessons under Mrs. Brimo began. This was to become the start of a very long and fruitful student-teacher relationship. 
A recital at UST when I was 5 years old. My time under the tutelage of Mrs. Brimo transformed me from a five-year old kid who could play a simple piece of music into an eight-year old pianist performing the Haydn Concerto No. 11 in D at a solo concert with the CCP Orchestra. A year later, Mrs. Brimo and I celebrated a triumphant win at the National Music Competition for Young Artists (“NAMCYA”) at CCP. I became one of her personal scholars not long after that. Many concerts and recitals followed with appearances on television shows and weekly series like “Concert at the Park.” With each recital, Mrs. Brimo was there making sure my outfit was appropriate, my bow was rehearsed and gave me a little spit in the neck before taking the stage (an old German good luck routine). I could always tell if she was pleased with a performance just by the look on her face. 
This photo was taken during a piano lesson at Mrs. Brimo's house just before we left for Canada. I left for Canada when I turned 13 and thought that Mrs. Brimo would be a tough act to follow. I was right. Mrs. Brimo had a way of making every student feel special. She would hand-write specific finger exercises that targeted problem areas and chose the right piece of music that you could interpret to perfection. Even though I continued with my studies at the University of Alberta under one of her colleagues, I never felt that all-important connection every artist yearns for. When I moved to Ontario, other professors and teachers were also void of this bond. Several years passed and thankfully I found out that after Mrs. Brimo retired in 1988, she moved to Canada to be near her son. Much to my surprise and delight, she was a few hours away living in Pointe Claire, Quebec. To Mrs. Brimo, the word “retire” never really existed. When I saw her again she was still teaching and was part of the Quebec Music Teachers Association. 
This was taken after one of Mrs. Brimo's student recitals in Montreal. 
Her beloved cat Mitsou - he would only come into the music room after a lesson was over. For a while, I thought I was the only one who would endure a trip to Quebec just to get a piano lesson every now and again. I found out that her students from all over the world were doing the same thing. In 2000, most of her protégés gathered in tribute to her in the Philippines at a concert called “Bravo Brimo,” held at the CCP. Those who performed, once her students, were now professors, deans and international recording artists. To quote a few of the people present that evening: Alfonso Bolipata, Artistic Director for Casa San Miguel Center for the Arts said: “Mrs. Brimo is a living myth, an icon who continues to leave an indelible imprint on my generation. She is our mythical ancestor who fills us with the fire and energy to carry the torch while keeping it lit.” Ms Erlinda C. Fule, former Dean of Music at UST said: “She has excelled much not only as a concert pianist, but also as a music pedagogue earning the title of Dean Emeritus during her academic retirement.” These sentiments were echoed by all throughout the concert. 
In the Philippines after the "Bravo Brimo" concert. Once back in Canada, Mrs. Brimo continued to teach and held annual recitals that featured her students. This tradition would only be interrupted by her ongoing health issues. I was able to participate in some of the performances including one back in 2005 where she thrilled the audience by unexpectedly performing a Chopin Etude. My husband, unaccustomed to watching classical performances, was in awe of her technique, showmanship and dynamics. In his desire to quantify her greatness, he compared her to the icon he was most familiar with – “Yoda.” 
In Montreal, they asked me to say a few words about Mrs. Brimo after the recital. Despite her age, Mrs. Brimo remained sharp, witty and needed little assistance in walking even during our last visit with her in the summer of 2007. At the age of 95, I considered myself lucky to have her in my life. She was like a second mother to me. I made sure she met and approved of my husband before we got married and my one-year-old daughter, who started tinkering with the piano at six months, saw her last year. I wanted some of Mrs. Brimo’s “magic touch” to rub off on her. I last spoke to Mrs. Brimo in December 2007 when I made one of my regular calls to her on her birthday. She sounded happy to be in a new home and was glad to report that she was performing for the other seniors living in the same place. In January 2008, Mrs. Brimo developed pneumonia and passed away in February. Two days before she died, my mother and I paid her a visit still clinging to the hope that she would pull through. It may sound selfish but I wanted to continue taking piano lessons for myself and my daughter. It is hard to let go of someone who has shown you how you can tap into your soul and speak not through words but through music. Not only did she believe in my God-given talents but was and will continue to be proof that she was one of God’s greatest gifts to me. 
| 
