<<  -- 4 --  John Bell Young    LEGENDARY GENEROSITY

Her departure from this world on Christmas Eve is a strange metaphor for her life. It was entirely in character. It is as if she deliberately set aside the disruption that making an exit on the grandest holiday of the year would have caused in favor of something just a bit more discrete, though hardly unnoticeable! This was in keeping with the sheer largesse of her radiant spirit, and the measure of a true grande dame.

Indeed, such all-encompassing respect by one individual for the needs and potential of so many others is overwhelming; it is love. Those who knew her personally or through her playing agree that the world is a better place for her having been part of it. Speaking for myself, it was a privilege to have known her and a dream come true to have studied with her. Like so many others, I am enormously grateful to Constance for a great many things: for her tireless encouragement, for the incalculable value of her teaching, and for the innumerable opportunities she afforded me.

Constance gave of herself 1000% at every moment so that the rest of us could become better musicians and people. Her influence on the musicianship and professional careers of so many, while profound, was also her legacy. We only hope that our efforts henceforth will rise to the professional and artistic challenges Constance Keene, in her wisdom, never failed to set forth for us all.