— Balia’s Concerts

Balia started teaching the piano a year after she arrived (1948) and used to have yearly concerts at the Peninsula Hotel.

These photos are of those concerts ….

1949

Daddy made the first program by hand – he typed the program out and drew the cover by hand!  What a champ  😀

Am just a little confused that dad typed it was Balia’s 4th concert as she only arrived in HK two years earlier.

Perhaps she used to have concerts in Shanghai?

There were a number of Russians who were Balia’s pupils in 1949 – all three Smirnoff kids (Sasha, Laila and Ira), George and Natalia Sokoloff, Michael Koodiaroff, Corinne Ellery, and Helen Zaharoff.

****

1951

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

There were quite a few Russian kids in that photo …

(1) Helene Zaharoff

(2) Corrine Ellery
(3) Ira (Irina) Smirnoff
(4)  ? Reubens
(5)  Michael Koodiaroff
(6) Lois Reubens
(7) Laila (Nina) Smirnoff
(8) Sashka (Alex) Smirnoff
(9) *Colleen Smith  (*not Russian)
(10) Majorie Revie

1951 October 21 — daddy and Ira playing at Balia’s concert, with Helen Zaharoff as their page turner (Click to enlarge)

The Smirnoff kids were good friends, as was their mother, Nina, who was working at the Peninsula at the time. No doubt she was instrumental in making the ball room available for the concerts.

As you can see at the bottom of the program above, Ira Smirnoff was a pupil of my father’s and they played a duet at the concert.

****

1954

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

There were a few more Russian kids who started with Balia, and it was my first concert!  Shiver me timbers – brrrrrrrrrrrr!! I still remember what the piece I had to play sounds like and I still tremble at the thought 😀  Such a wimp 😉

(1)  Lana Belokopitoff
(2)  Sasha Smirnoff
(3) Helene Zaharoff
(4) Nata (Natalie) Rodney
(5) Laura Gabriel
(6) Katusha (Katherine) Huber
(7) Chucha (Anna) Yatskin
(8) *Colleen Smith
(9) John Huber
(10) *Sylvia Picciotto
(11) Me

*not Russian

My parents and their friends, Jack & Miriam Bowen, at Balia’s concert. Miriam was one of mom’s sales ladies at Paquerette (Click to enlarge)

Me with Balia, Chucha and Lindy (Click to enlarge)

****

1955

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

There was just one new Russian pupil in this year, that being Barbara Gabriel 🙂

Little Barbara was the newest addition to Balia’s group of pupils and I think she ended up being one of the last to leave!

Balia was probably giving me lots of encouragement when I had to play in front of everyone  😮

****

1956

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

I’m pretty sure all the girls were instructed to curtsy to the audience and the boys had to give a small bow.  Back in those days we were taught to show courtesy to the audience  😀

Dad had one of his pupils playing at the concert – Lillian Tshu – I remember her coming to the house often and recall that she was a lovely girl.

The photo on the right was taken after the concert – it shows Laura Gabriel at the head of the table closest to the photographer, then from L-R: Mr Gabriel, Nina Smirnoff, Ida Close, Balia and a White Russian friend whose name escapes me, Laura & Barbara’s grandfather, Barbara and Mrs Gabriel.

Another pupil of my grandmother’s was Doris Chen and not only was she a pupil but she was also a very valued friend of the family.

****

1957

Another afternoon tea after the concert. From L-R: Galia Huber, Cora Venetskaya, Babushka Yatskin, Lindy, daddy and little ole moi 😉

Mrs Huber was White Russian but married to a Swiss man and was the mother to Kathie (Tusha) and John Huber.

****

1959

****

1960

The reason I was grinning so happily was because this was my last concert!  My parents finally conceded to my pleas for leaving piano lessons and, as we were going on leave the next year, they reluctantly agreed this would be my last time!

Me sitting with mom, dad and Uncle Michael on the end (Click to enlarge)

****

1962

****

1965

Pio-Ulski.com claims no credit for any images posted on the site, unless explicitly stated.

All copyright goes to their respective owners.