I asked piano tuner Larry Johnson from Butte to recommend a teacher: “Ruth Rotondi,” he said. A dozen years later, after an undergrad degree in microbiology and PhD studies in history of science, my family in 1980 settled in Dillon and I bought at auction an ornate turn-of-the-century upright piano. I set out to be a scientist to change the world. Although from third grade on we experienced a new piano teacher each year in the communities surrounding our hi-line home, a perfect opportunity to study diverse pedagogy(?), high school brought consistent instruction from Lucia Leeds in Chinook, the next town down the road, and we presented a senior recital of two Bach inventions, Mozart and Mendelssohn, two Chopin waltzes, two Debussy preludes, Dvorak Slavonic dances and even two-piano duos. In high school, my sister and I each taught a handful of students and played for most churches, funeral solos, weddings, community events, school choirs, and all music competitors. Later we “raided” her overstuffed piano bench for popular tunes “Always,” “Bell-bottom Trousers,” yellow Schirmer sonatina albums, flowery hand-crossing arpeggiated solos. Though faltering with tears over not understanding dotted half and quarter notes, we observed the pleasure, relaxation, solace she found in playing whenever chores were ended. When we reached age five, my grandmother lovingly began our piano instruction. Until she reached 96, the piano accompanied her stages of life. Her favorites: “Tennessee Waltz,” “Missouri Waltz,” Stephen Foster songs. Awhile later it made a trip to the farm on the Milk River where she played at all the dances, save the last waltz which was promised to her dance-loving husband Jake.
Through marriage and another homestead move to Hingham in 1910, the piano traveled with her. When her family homesteaded, the piano came along and she took a train from Donnybrook to Minot for lessons from “the professor” -enough to play Mozart, read hymns and cultivate the dance tunes of the era. 1889, almost twelve, received a beautiful new upright piano. My relationship with the piano began, in some ways, around 1900. The following is a biographical piece penned by the award recepient on her life and times in the world of music.
MSMTA is a group of private music teachers. The Montana State Music Teacher’s Association announced in their fall newsletter that Dillon’s Charlene Loge has been named the 2020 MSMTA Teacher of the Year.
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