I'm not sure if you ever get too old to miss your mom. Mine is 3,000 miles away, in Syracuse, NY, alone in her senior residence. I had hoped to be with her today, celebrating her 89th birthday.
If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be the person I am or the musician I've become. From the very first moment I heard her play piano when I was seven, the keys were a magnet to my fingers.
She was my first piano teacher, recognized my music talent early on, and made sure I always had the best music training.
During last week's Facebook Live concert, I closed the program with a Gershwin dedication in honor of her birthday and shared a touching story. You'll hear it at the start of the video excerpt. There wasn't a dry eye in the virtual audience, or so I was told by several viewers. I suggest grabbing a tissue before you click the red arrow. (Then wash your hands!)
After my Facebook Live concert, she texted me this message, “The best birthday present I could ever have! Thank you SO much. I am so proud of all you are doing. Your playing is even better than I can remember!”
Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and am eternally grateful you introduced me to piano, sacrificed so that I could have the best music training, and never stopped believing in me. Keep painting, and I'll keep making music. Having your paintings in my home is the next best thing to being with you in person.
🎉Happy Birthday 🎉
Happy, birthday! I am so honored to learn about you through your daughter, Lisa, and her moving tribute to you during her concert on Sunday. We love your picture and the lovely picture of your husband. With love and admiration, Ken Camper.
Hope you are well. May this soon be over so you can enjoy a wonderful year. Happy birthday! Love, Shari ,Ed, Jonathan and Nina!
Belated Happy Birthday Trudy! You’re looks and smile are ageless. You were always a delight to visit and have left me with fond remembrances.
Happy Birthday Aunt Trudy! Sending you many virtual hugs from me, Lon & Peri. We love you! Joan
Happy Birthday Trudy!!! Remember us? It’s Barbara, Lisa’s old roommate in Los Gatos, and Carl from Utica. Have a very happy birthday and I know that Lisa will be there to celebrate with you as soon as all this is over!!! Sending you a big virtual hug.
Happy Birthday, Trudy! Congratulations for nurturing your daughter Lisa so well, so that she can not only play such beautiful music for us, but help us students reach our own musical aspirations. Lisa speaks of you with such love, and it is a wonderful testament to your motherhood and personhood. And here we see that you are also quite a fine painter! Wow, such talent and love in your family. It is so heartening to witness this in these trying times. I wish you all the best, Trudy.
Yours,
Elizabeth Brown
Sending belated birthday wishes to you, Trudy, I hope you had a special day!
Rachel Setola, from Massachusetts
Happy Birthday Trudy. 89 and look at you shine! I remember well meeting you on your Bay Area visit. Keep shining, keep painting and thanks for giving the world your 4 beautiful children…
Happy Birthday, Trudy! We “older people” have to stick together . . .
Hi Trudy,
Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday from out here in California! Your daughter Lisa is my inspiring piano teacher, and is a fountain of musical knowledge, talent, spirit and emotion! I am so lucky to have her (and her dog Gina to cheer me on!)!! Wishing you a beautiful day from my home, where we all have to be right now. But we, all of Lisa’s friends, send you a virtual hug from our own little corners of the world! 🎂🎈😍
Glorious greetings on your birth celebration Trudy!
May life joyous moments continue to surprise and delight you in unexpected ways that reinforce your sense of Gods grandeur and eternal embrace of all that we are! Salute to you and your family.
It’s my esteemed pleasure to know you and Lisa.
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Spector! That’s what I called you way back when Lisa was the little girl in the picture, living on Brookhill Dr. Have a marvelous day and another great year. Ellen Zamecnik
♥️💖❤️ HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY SOUL DAY TRUDY! May you feel all the LOVE pouring through the Space between that connects you to life! ❤️💖♥️🙏🏼🥰
Happy birthday Aunt Trudy. Wishing you good health and happiness today and always. Sending virtual hugs 🤗. My mom thought LOL meant “ Lots Of Love. So LOL from Marsha and Steve. Stay safe. We love you 😘
Happy Birthday, Trudy! I love the way your daughter plays. I’m a pianist too, and I taught my daughter early on as well. She would sit on my lap, at 18 months old, and clap along as I taught theory to my students, and did a better job even that the grade school kids I taught. I couldn’t tear her away from the piano. She was my favorite partner as she got older and I was blessed that I “grew my own piano partner”. Our favorite moment was playing Mozart’s Two Piano Sonata in D for a contest and we got the “1” and played in the recital. Emily is now 37 and a Nurse Practitioner, but when we get together for holidays we always play duets and duos and the magic is still there.
I really enjoy being on Facebook and listening to Lisa. You did a great job as a Mom and mentor. My mother-in-law is also allowed NO guests in her assisted living center in Tulsa. I hope you and Lisa will be able to celebrate your special day in full soon!
Happy, Happy, Birthday!
I’m so sorry that you won’t be able to be with Lisa on your birthday. So many very special occasions have had to be canceled because of this disease–but it can’t cancel the love represented by them. I first encountered Lisa’s beautiful music by way of “Through a Dog’s Ear”. It has comforted my separation anxiety, sound-phobic dog for many hours, and I have fallen asleep many nights listening to it. Thank you for the gift of music that you helped nurture and send into the world through Lisa.
I hope that you have a huge birthday bash when this is all over.
SuEarl
Trudy!
Happy birthday!
We don’t know each other …
except through the love I feel that flows through Lisa to you. I also see your love for her, in what an amazing wonder your daughter is to the world! You rock!
Hope you’re having a wonderful day, to start off an amazing new year in your life.
Best,
Teresa
The one who is Honored to be Lisa’s friend
Happy Birthday, Trudy! I think of you when I pass the painting of the mailboxes, which hangs in our guest room. We receive many compliments on your behalf. Wishing you a healthy coming year!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRUDY !
And THANK YOU for giving us your daughter Lisa, a wonderful pianist, dog agility competitor, and good friend!
Best Wishes for the coming year
Linda in San Franciso
Dear Aunt Trudy,
It is so exciting to wish you a Very Happy Birthday while listening to Lisa make beautiful music!
Technology and music are a perfect way to bring you special birthday wishes filled with love and hope! Stay safe and stay well!
With extra love and hugs,
Barbara and Michael
Happy Birthday, Trudy. You’re obviously an extraordinary person, both as an artist, musician, and mother. Thank you for the gift of your talented daughter. Oddly, some of my favorite musician friends are in the Syracuse – Binghamton area.
Sue Hammond, San Bruno, CA (Classical Kids)
Dear Mrs. Spector: Sending all best wishes for a very happy day and much gratitude for instilling such generosity in your daughter as she shares her gift with us all. Her recovery story truly has been a great inspiration.
Happy Birthday Mrs. Spector, We are so honored to be living in the community where Lisa decided to grow her roots. She is more than an inspiration for us in so many ways. Her loving spirit spills over everywhere. And beyond all expectation, her indomitable drive to come back from a career threatening injury. And what a gift you are to be celebrating your 89th. May we all strive to achieve this hallmark.
Happy Birthday Mrs. Spector, We are so honored to be living in the community where Lisa decided to grow her roots. She is more than an inspiration for us in so many ways. Her loving spirit spills over everywhere. And beyond all expectation, her indomitable drive to come back from a career threatening injury. And what a gift you are to be celebrating your 89th. May we all strive to achieve this hallmark.
Dear Mrs. Spector,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 💐
I hope you are enjoying your day and all the wishes near and far through the air to celebrate you.
Lisa was my neighbor for a while and I feel fortunate to have met her. She was kind and compassionate. Her music is moving and joyful.
Karla
Happy Birthday, Trudy….You should be very proud of your daughter. Her talent and spirit have been a real gift to us all, especially in this difficult time. Hope you have a wonderful birthday and receive many joys in the years ahead.
Thanks for all the beautiful birthday wishes for my mom. What beautiful, heart-felt expressions of appreciation. It made her day, and mine! My heart is bursting with gratitude!
Happy Birthday Trudy! Lisa is a wonderful musician and a generous kind person in great part to you and her Dad.
She never gives up!
Carol