Right note hit at positive ageing expo

Keyboardist June Guthardt provided a musical welcome for about 2000 people who attended the 2017 Positive Ageing Expo at Richmond last week.

Guthardt, 82, played in the sun at the main entrance of the Headingly Centre. A sign behind her said: Would you like to learn music? It’s never too late.

There were flyers for people to take with Guthardt’s contact details if they wanted to ‘‘discover the enjoyment of music’’ because she still teaches from her home at Nelson – and has no plans to stop.

‘‘To find music is such a wonderful thing for any age group,’’ she said. Guthardt had pupils from ‘‘age 7 to 70 plus’’.

‘‘I just love to meet people,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s [teaching] keeping in touch with people.’’

Guthardt was about 10 when she first played a woodenframed Chappell piano that her grandmother, Mary McMurray, had in her farmyard home at Spring Grove. The youngster had been listening to Remem- brance by Carl Reber on the radio, performed by pianist Gil Dech. ‘‘I played it with two fingers,’’ Guthardt said.

The family saw it as a sign the young June and her identical twin, Audrey, should have music lessons so the old piano was moved to the sisters’ home along Waimea Rd.

Guthardt’s musical memories go back further, to supper dances for WWII troops at Spring Grove Drill Hall.

‘‘My grandfather rattled the bones and he was very good at it, my uncle played the button accordion and my aunty played the piano,’’ she said. ‘‘It was all the old Vera Lynn songs – even we as 7-year-olds would be up dancing.’’

Guthardt, who also sings with The Songbirds choir, said music rekindled memories for many people. Some rest home residents who might find it difficult to hold a conversation would sing along to every word of her songs.

‘‘If you can share what you’re doing, give anybody a little bit of pleasure, why not? That’s what it’s all about.’’