Page 36 - A Talk with Marie MacLellan, Pianist

ISSUE : Issue 42

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1986/6/1

play something. Choose a tune and ask him if he could play it for you. He just--he wouldn't play for you at all then. (Just wouldn't play at all?) No. He was diffi? cult. Probably he didn't mean to be. But it's just--he had his own set of tunes that he thought you should appreciate. He'd play them and that was it. (So your father never really taught Ther? esa?) No. My brother Donald taught Theresa. It wasn't very hard to teach Theresao The first time she picked the violin up, she could play it. She was very easy to learn. I'd say again that she had a gift, natural talent. Theresa was 9 years old when she played for her first dance. Theresa and I. And I had the guitar. I was a little older than Ther? esa. I was 12. We went to the dance in Riv? er Denys, I think it was in the school. We went and we played--there wasn't such a thing then as a stage. We sat (on a chair) on the floor and we played violin and the guitar. I can't remember how we got to the dance or how we got home. But I know we were there. And they christened us "The MacLellan Sisters" that night, and that name stuck to us over the years. (Were you the only two players that night?) We were the only two 'players. (And people danced?) Oh, danced--well I guess! Square dance--well I guess they did. In those days it wasn't such a thing as 9 to 1. Then, if you went to a dance at 8:30 and you played till 4, everybody would stay. So I guess we were there quite a long time. We were there till around 3 o'clock. And we were just kids, you know, we should have been in bedo But we were out making a living, I guess you'd call it. I would truthfully say, from experience at other dances, we got $3 each. I don't think it was ever known before, for a little girl like Theresa--she was a very small and tiny little girl, a very ti? ny little thing. Took the chair and sat in the corner all night and played the violin. It was remarkable when you stop and think about it. No sound system--no, nothing. We had all ki.ids of tunes that we had in the back of our minds, you know, that were com? ing out. (Where did your father get his violin and bow?) I don't know where he got his violin, really, first going off. But as a boy, he had a homemade bow, as a kid. And he al? ways told us the story at home about him being a little, little boy at home--he was 8 or 9 or 10 years old, something like that. He was brought up in Broad Cove. He BUSINESS PEOPLE You Can Talk To If you are considering starting a new business or expanding your present operation, find out how we can help. We have 11 regional offices staffed with knowledgeable business people who can access both the public and private sector programs and services available to you. If you are facing a challenge in financing, marketing or in any other aspect of business management, call us and explore how your business can reach its full potential. Nova Scotia Department of Development Bijl Butler District Manager Business Expertise In Your Neighborhood Honourable Roland J. Thornhill Minister LHC Building 295 Charlotte Street Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P1C6 564-8241 1 good reasons to buy league debentures Profitable Debentures offer a high rate of interest. Safe investment League Savings Debentures are protected by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation for amounts up to sixty thousand dollars. Guaranteed Return The principal and interest are guaranteed upfront. Flexible Debentures can be short or long term with interest paid monthly, semi-annually or annually. Interest payments deposited with a Credit Union qualify for a special bonus. Authorized Trustee Investment League Savings debentures are recognized provincially and meet the requirements of a trustee investment. League Savings 8 Mortgage P.O. Box 668, Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6H7 539-8222 M