CRANSTON - When Gerri Lajoi moved to Rhode Island from Florida and became a member of St. Matthew Parish, it was music to the ears of St. Matthew School Principal Elaine Dykstra.
Lajoi had been a string instruments teacher in the Hyannis, MA school department for many years prior to retiring to Florida. There she began her second career, teaching the intricacies of violin, viola, cello and other stringed instruments to eight students in the Gulf Middle School in Cape Coral. After living in Florida for 13 years, accepted by the other teachers as a full-fledged member of their faculty and making many friends, Lejoi said the decision to leave was a difficult one to make. But a series of three hurricanes struck her community and damaged her own home in the summer of 2004; they took their toll, and she decided to return to New England.
A search of rental properties and prices led her to Rhode Island and to the St. Matthew community.
Once settled, and much to Dykstra's joy, Lajoi stopped in at the school one day and offered to volunteer her services, teaching St. Matthew students how to play the stringed musical instruments that had become her life's work. "I was a little lonely and I missed the teachers and my students," said Lajoi. "Teaching music was all I knew how to do and I just couldn't stay away from it."
Lajoi's proposal was literally a case of preaching to the choir. Dykstra, too, is musically talented ¬ she is a soprano with the Gregorian Concert Choir at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, directed by Father Anthony Mancini. She began her singing vocation under the guidance of the renowned late composer/director C. Alexander Peloquin, Father Mancini's predecessor.
Dykstra thought Lajoi's offer to volunteer her services to the students a wonderful opportunity to offer them a new way to appreciate music. "I understand the beauty music can bring into the lives of children," she said, particularly to those who are in difficult economic circumstances.
With Father James R. Collin's enthusiastic approval, in 2005 Lajoi began offering stringed instrument instruction after school every day, two hours per day, and free of charge. Now Lajoi has 16 students ¬ two cellos, six violas and eight violins, played by students of all musical levels, but determined to form an ensemble to present a medley of songs in a performance before the end of the school year. Several of the students performed at a Christmas Mass in the church, and were warmly received. Lajoi's goal is that all of the students ¬ including the seven who are new this year ¬ will play at the special June concert.
Lajoi's love for music and her devotion to her students is obvious. "Their sense of achievement, when they can say ' I did it' after struggling and then hitting the right note, is wonderful to see," she said. "They thank me after making it all the way through a piece with only a few mistakes, and I tell them, 'We did it.'"
Dykstra said other students, not enrolled in the program, are also aware of their classmates' progress. As they are leaving the school, preparing to board their buses, they can hear the practice sessions taking place.
Several months ago, the sounds they heard were like "howling cats," but now, they often pause outside the classroom door, singing or clapping time to a tune they can recognize as a familiar song, Dykstra said.
"Anyone can learn to play a musical instrument if they are willing to work and like doing it," is Lajoi's philosophy. "Practice, practice, practice is the key. Pretty soon, they will get so good that they will not need me."
Lajoi has a special arrangement with a company that allows the students to rent-to-own their musical instruments at a reasonable rate, so that anyone who wants to take the lessons can do so. The company even allows the students to trade the instrument in for a more appropriate size as they grow.
On March 9, during the class, Michael Raspberry, 11, who has been playing the cello for a year, said, "I like to practice. I do it at home at least an hour every day."
Cellist Ashley Botelho said she loves the music classes.
Most students agreed that when their pitch is off during home practice, their parents cringe ¬ but nonetheless support their efforts.
After several false starts and a few interruptions for corrections by their teacher, the students completed a tune called "Rhumbolero."
"I only messed up in a couple of places," said one of the violinists with a smile.
Several then played "Over the Rainbow," and did such a fine job, they earned the praise of their teacher and of the other students. Lajoi said those performing had learned to work together and could read the notes on their music sheets. She urged the other students to hurry and learn so they could join the more advanced group. "It is not going to happen overnight. Please practice, so that we will have a nice school orchestra," she said.
Alexia Drohan chooses to play the violin because she likes its high notes. Others, including Verrie Rose, prefer the viola, whose pitch is much lower.
Is Lajoi tough on them? Yes, they said.
But do they have fun in class?
The "Yes!" was resounding.
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
