There's not much here about Helena's time in Perth. She ran many musical groups that she called 'Rediscover the Joy of Singing', embracing recognised singers (such as myself, who ran a folk club called Jenny's Place) and non-singers alike. At times she had 3 groups running in different suburbs every week. Helena and Leonard performed many times at Jenny's Place, and my then husband Dave Arntzen recorded them together, and separately. He also recorded the 'Rediscover the Joy of Singing' concerts, where all 3 choirs would come together after a term of classes and sing together. These concerts were held at the Subud Hall in Perth and were always glorious celebrations. Sadly my cassettes of these are pretty past it!
Helena suffered from severe asthma, and in winters she could be laid low. I was surprised when one time she phoned me and asked me if I would lead the choir that night - I'd never done that (though I ran folk duos, trios and a quartet). It felt strange stepping out of line to the front but it went well! After that I became Helena's deputy and would happily travel to whichever of the 3 groups was on when she was ill. I treasure the memory of her calling me her 'soul sister' and indeed we became very close. So much so, I began saying 'Ya' for yes and she asked me if I was 'taking the mickey'. Horrified I said 'No, of course not!' and explained that when I was around her I just absorbed her! She was so charismatic, it was impossible not to be absorbed.
When they left for Sydney, hoping that the more humid climate might be kinder to her asthma than Perth's dry heat and cool winters, she urged me to keep running the groups. But at that time I was particularly busy with work and study and I didn't do so. I was shattered to hear of her death - I recall it as being an asthma attack and she couldn't reach her Epipen before she had a cardiac arrest - and it was in 2001 that I decided to try running a community choir. With one small note in the local newspaper, 42 people turned up! I taught them as Helena had taught me - both in how to sing and in the songs I selected - folk songs from around the world. These became the core of our repertoire though I later added to them, and also added a different genre of bluegrass gospel. HarmonyUs was dedicated to Helena and was a very successful choir, winning the open folk section of several local eisteddfods. We only disbanded in 2007 when life circumstances took me from Perth to Queensland for 2 years and then followed 7.5 years 'on the road' around Australia (as a 'not-so-grey nomad') while I was working on my PhD (in science education, not music).
Three years ago, with my new doctorate, I got a job near Toowoomba in Queensland, and after a year to settle in, I joined a local multicultural choir, Women in Harmony. Subsequent to that I started up a singing group at University of Southern Queensland ... again singing the songs I have learned from Helena and again, dedicated to Helena's memory. So ... the songs are carrying on. Unfortunately last year I was unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney cancer, and though I am soldiering on with one kidney, I realise I may not live many more years than Helena did (I'm 60 now and now have my first lung metastasis). So there is a real urgency in my spirit to pass these songs on ... they shouldn't die when I do. It has been my privilege and pleasure to uphold in my own small way the wonderful gift Helena gave me. She is indeed, still sadly missed by this Gentile lady. Jenny Donovan (formerly Jenny Arntzen of Jenny's Place in Perth)
There's not much here about Helena's time in Perth. She ran many musical groups that she called 'Rediscover the Joy of Singing', embracing recognised singers (such as myself, who ran a folk club called Jenny's Place) and non-singers alike. At times she had 3 groups running in different suburbs every week. Helena and Leonard performed many times at Jenny's Place, and my then husband Dave Arntzen recorded them together, and separately. He also recorded the 'Rediscover the Joy of Singing' concerts, where all 3 choirs would come together after a term of classes and sing together. These concerts were held at the Subud Hall in Perth and were always glorious celebrations. Sadly my cassettes of these are pretty past it!
Helena suffered from severe asthma, and in winters she could be laid low. I was surprised when one time she phoned me and asked me if I would lead the choir that night - I'd never done that (though I ran folk duos, trios and a quartet). It felt strange stepping out of line to the front but it went well! After that I became Helena's deputy and would happily travel to whichever of the 3 groups was on when she was ill. I treasure the memory of her calling me her 'soul sister' and indeed we became very close. So much so, I began saying 'Ya' for yes and she asked me if I was 'taking the mickey'. Horrified I said 'No, of course not!' and explained that when I was around her I just absorbed her! She was so charismatic, it was impossible not to be absorbed.
When they left for Sydney, hoping that the more humid climate might be kinder to her asthma than Perth's dry heat and cool winters, she urged me to keep running the groups. But at that time I was particularly busy with work and study and I didn't do so. I was shattered to hear of her death - I recall it as being an asthma attack and she couldn't reach her Epipen before she had a cardiac arrest - and it was in 2001 that I decided to try running a community choir. With one small note in the local newspaper, 42 people turned up! I taught them as Helena had taught me - both in how to sing and in the songs I selected - folk songs from around the world. These became the core of our repertoire though I later added to them, and also added a different genre of bluegrass gospel. HarmonyUs was dedicated to Helena and was a very successful choir, winning the open folk section of several local eisteddfods. We only disbanded in 2007 when life circumstances took me from Perth to Queensland for 2 years and then followed 7.5 years 'on the road' around Australia (as a 'not-so-grey nomad') while I was working on my PhD (in science education, not music).
Three years ago, with my new doctorate, I got a job near Toowoomba in Queensland, and after a year to settle in, I joined a local multicultural choir, Women in Harmony. Subsequent to that I started up a singing group at University of Southern Queensland ... again singing the songs I have learned from Helena and again, dedicated to Helena's memory. So ... the songs are carrying on. Unfortunately last year I was unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney cancer, and though I am soldiering on with one kidney, I realise I may not live many more years than Helena did (I'm 60 now and now have my first lung metastasis). So there is a real urgency in my spirit to pass these songs on ... they shouldn't die when I do. It has been my privilege and pleasure to uphold in my own small way the wonderful gift Helena gave me. She is indeed, still sadly missed by this Gentile lady. Jenny Donovan (formerly Jenny Arntzen of Jenny's Place in Perth)