Lynn Sanborn Campbell

Music:

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I feel very blessed to have been born into a family that highly values the arts. It is a tradition that goes back generations, and in our immediate family it continues to this day with my son, Duncan Campbell. I feel that the arts have greatly enriched our entire Parlin/Sanborn family and been one of the elements that binds us together so strongly.

 

To determine when this grand tradition started, I went back to our beloved “Parlin” books, the predecessors of this volume, and in Volume 2 I came across a chapter titled “The Family Orchestra,” written by “Grandfather” (who was Charles Coolidge Parlin, my great-grandfather). I had hit pay dirt! Here were the origins of the extended family making music together, and I highly recommend that anyone with an interest in this topic go back and read Chapter LXXII (gotta love those Roman numerals!).

 

With the indulgence of the reader, I would like to reprint some of the text of that chapter. Paragraph 3 is hilarious, especially given the later musical journeys of two of our family members (my brother, Chase, and Duncan):

“All this is preliminary to stating that one thing Grandfather was quite sure about with his robust young family – that none of them would ever take to music. With that thought he was well pleased, because he had observed that when students in high school became interested in music, they were likely to become poor students and as soon as they became proficient enough to play dance music, they usually joined some jazz orchestra, played nights and became no good at school.”

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On a more serious note, below is the introductory speech given by Charles Coolidge at the first-ever performance of the Family Orchestra, and I think it beautifully sums up the meaning of music in our family. On that long-ago day, the orchestra performed for 300 invited guests, and included the following members: first violin, C. Howard Sanborn; second violin, Ruth Parlin Sanborn (I had forgotten that my grandmother had played violin as well!); cello, George S. Parlin; bass, Charles C. Parlin; flute, Miriam Boyd Parlin; piano, Dorothy Elcome Parlin; and “assisting soloist,” Grace E. Parlin. In addition, Grandma Ruth apparently sang several solos. The concert even received a glowing review on the front page of the Germantown Telegraph! The writer of the article christened the group the “Great Musical Parlin Family.”

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Said Grandfather in his introduction, “We appreciate your presence this evening. All members of the orchestra are our children either by birth or by marriage. No one has at any time followed music as a vocation, no one has at any time given entire attention to the study of music. With all, music has been an avocation. They have studied from a love of music, for the pleasure they might receive and for the pleasure they might be able to give. Music has been a large factor in our family life and tonight, so to speak, we have invited you within the bosom of the family to enjoy with us just such a program as we are wont to have when, as frequently happens, the family gets together for an evening all by ourselves.”

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Evidence of the smaller family concerts was found in a box that had been moldering for untold years in a closet in the “Barn Cottage” at Silver Bay, NY. Along with letters, other papers, and Grandma Ruth’s daily musings at age thirteen in her diary (often centered around food, no surprise to those of us who knew her), was a carefully typed program for a recital given at their family home. It was Ruth on the piano, Grandpa Howard and my father, Howard Parlin, on the violin, Uncle Don on the cello, and Uncle John on the flute. I remember that there also exists at least one Christmas-card picture with that particular orchestral configuration.

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One last funny anecdote from that wonderful chapter describes how my Great-Uncle Charles (Grandfather’s son) was roped into joining the family musical group by being given a bass viol for Christmas. It was Great-Aunt Grace’s idea to have a stocking made that was “so huge that it held the bass without revealing by its shape what it contained.” Grandfather goes on to say, “Charles, quite oblivious to all about him all Christmas Day, with marvelous endurance sawed away and by evening was ready to make his first appearance with the family orchestra.” Another musical star was born, and as the evidence will show later in this chapter, actual proficiency with an instrument was never a strict prerequisite to performing in the Family Orchestra!

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In my family, it was Grandma Ruth who continued the love and study of music. I knew that she had seriously studied voice at her beloved Wellesley College, but did not know that she went on to earn a Master’s degree in music. Grandfather recounts that he had once asked Ruth’s vocal teacher whether she could ever support herself with her voice, although he hoped that it would not be necessary for her to do so. The teacher responded, “’Oh yes…she could support herself and you too.’” I find it rather sad that Ruth never did get to sing professionally and have her own exciting career, but she chose the more traditional route as wife and mother, and she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to that role and her many charitable endeavors. Still, there is no doubt that she has passed on a musical legacy to future generations that we have all benefited from.

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Anyway, back to the Family Orchestra. The next generation saw the institution of the annual Christmas Sanborn Family Orchestra, which my siblings and I were a part of. Christmas dinner with the extended family was always celebrated at our house, as we lived in a large Victorian home that boasted its own room dedicated to music (as well as the completion of homework at the large round table). We had a lovely baby grand piano, from which Grandma held forth as accompanist and General Cheerleader. I still remember her lilting speaking voice exhorting us to play with enthusiasm. “Now, let me hear those doodle-doodles on this one!” Oh, Grandma was never happier than when she was leading that merry band. At its height, members included me and Grandpa on violin, sister Bonnie and Uncle Don on cello, three flutes (my mom, Peg, Uncle John, and cousin Susan), my dad Howie on banjo, and brother Chase on trumpet. Those who did not play instruments were given triangles, wood blocks, or tambourines to bang away on.

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Truth be told, however, the Sanborn Family Orchestra would never have been written up favorably in the local newspaper! Many of the adults only picked up their instruments once a year for this celebration, and tuning left something to be desired. Bonnie couldn’t help cracking up while playing beside Uncle Don, who like his Uncle Charles tended to saw away on his cello, with a bow that had many of its hairs loose and flying around like a horse’s mane in full gallop. Also, the ad hoc percussion section rarely kept what might be considered an actual beat. “Joyful noise” doesn’t begin to describe the cacophony coming from 25 Norwood Avenue each Christmas afternoon. However, no one ever called the cops on us, and for most of us, the annual Orchestra is a cherished memory. We are fortunate to have one audio recording of the orchestra, and listening to it brings me right back to those days.

In our immediate family, music was such an important part of our upbringing that we were all expected to study some instrument. We had some choice as to which instrument we learned to play, although I think there was some heavy influence from parents in this matter. Brother David (his given name) chose the trumpet, but he also took up the drums. One time his rock band played at our elementary school, and my friends fell instantly in love with the cute drummer with the beautiful shoulder-length blonde hair. “Ooh, what’s it like to have him for a brother?” they asked breathlessly. I believe my response was “Terrible!”

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Sisters Bonnie and Debra (her given name) both took piano lessons. I declined the same, as I didn’t want to do what my sisters did, and it would have been difficult for all three of us to find practice time on the one piano. I have come to regret that decision, however, as I now wish I could play piano in order to accompany myself when I sing. Adding that skill is still on my bucket list. Later, of course, Bonnie took up the cello, and she became quite accomplished. I picked up the violin mantle established by my grandparents, and I studied for nine years throughout school with a fabulous teacher, Dorothy Kautzman. I ended up inheriting two beautiful violins—the extremely valuable Italian, circa-1765, violin that is referenced in the Family Orchestra chapter, as well as a very nice German violin from my grandfather on my mother’s side. I have huge regrets now about eventually selling the Italian instrument, but at that time I was never playing it, and I felt it would be better to have it played and enjoyed by a professional musician than gathering dust in my home. I never imagined I would eventually have another violinist in the family to pass it on to (more on that later). Eventually, I also took up the viola, because Mrs. Kautzman wasn’t happy with the “chairs” I was assigned when I auditioned for regional and state orchestras, and she felt I had a better chance of a good chair with the less-commonly-played viola. I also studied the oboe because I loved the sound of it, but that is a very hard instrument, and as my siblings pointed out (probably more than once), I never exceeded the point of sounding like a Canadian goose on it.

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Bonnie also studied voice with a top-level teacher, carrying on Grandma’s legacy, and she developed a gorgeous soprano tone. I sang in school and college chorus, madrigal groups, and church choir, but did not take voice lessons until I was in my 20’s. As we are only 13 months apart in age, Bonnie and I have always been close and gotten along very well; cementing that relationship were many opportunities to play violin and cello together as well as singing duets (in which our similar voices blended perfectly).

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The only one of us who ended up going into music professionally was David. He decided after high school that what he was most passionate about was playing the trumpet, and he spent a year studying with a well-respected teacher in Philadelphia. Jazz is his true love, and he has pursued that genre with great success. When he launched his professional career, he had to change his name, because there was already a famous jazz saxophone player named David Sanborn. He chose the name Chase, partly because there are Chases in our family history, but also because of the name association with Chase & Sanborn coffee. Chase played lead trumpet for the Toronto production of Cats for three years, and with incredible dedication and persistence he has made a life in music by both performing and teaching. He currently teaches jazz improvisation at the University of Toronto, has written a number of books (his humorous writing style reminds me so much of Great-Grandfather’s), and has also developed his own line of trumpet mouthpieces.

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And now it is on to the next generation. As with my own family, I expected Duncan to study an instrument, but I allowed him to choose which one he was interested in. I sort of expected him to choose percussion or a band instrument, as his dad is a very accomplished rock drummer, but he surprised me by choosing the violin. Even at a young age, he says, he liked the idea of being the fourth-generation violinist in the family. He participated in string orchestra for six years in school and also studied privately. Along the way, Duncan attended an artist-in-residence program at his middle school with members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which introduced him to the genre of electronic music for the violin. He bought an electronic violin for himself, and he proceeded to make YouTube videos in which he “covered” various rock songs and also performed some of his own songs. He continued to broaden his musical horizons by falling in love with a genre called “gypsy jazz” (sorry, Great-Grandpa, another jazz musician in the family!), and he performs in a jazz combo at his school. Duncan is currently in the music program at Clemson University, specializing in audio technology, and he is employed at a large local performing venue, working with microphones and recordings. He continues to compose, and he has a bright future ahead of him in the arts, most likely dabbling in many aspects of the music and performing business.

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Other arts:

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Of course, music is not the only art form our family has enjoyed. Dad Howie was an excellent painter, working in both oils and watercolor. He specialized in beautiful landscapes with interesting cloud formations. He was never happier than when trooping off with his folding stool and painting supplies at Lake George. He also built incredibly intricate model ships, which are now dispersed between family members. Aunt Sara Lee’s watercolors have also graced the walls of the Farm Cottage and Barn Cottage at Silver Bay.  Sister Devin (who changed her name from Debra because she preferred Devin), inherited that artistic talent and creativity; her specialty has been sewing and working with fabrics. In school, all three of us girls also participated in drama in one capacity or another.

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As for me, I still sing, mostly in a church choir, but I also serve as a cantor, helping to lead the worship in our local Catholic Church. But my true passion remains theater. I have been performing in plays now for over fifty years, although I did take a 12-year hiatus when Duncan was born so that I could spend valuable time with him. After the Covid-19 pandemic ended and theaters finally reopened after being closed for two years—and despite being undeniably past middle age--I have had the honor of being cast in numerous shows. I seem to be specializing in playing cranky old ladies these days, but it is great fun to play women who say what they think and do not suffer fools gladly! However, a character that did not fit that mold was sweet “Aunt Abby” in Arsenic and Old Lace. For that role, I channeled the enthusiasm and musical speaking voice of Grandma Ruth. Theater has done so much for me—it took a painfully shy little girl and gave her confidence. I have met so many friends along the way, and I have enjoyed every minute of developing my craft. I plan to continue participating in theater until someone grabs the proverbial hook and pulls me off the stage! I hope to do some directing eventually, and I am currently in the process of launching a second career as a voice actor, hopefully specializing in narration for audiobooks.

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The Silver Bay Connection:

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Yes, in our family it seems there is always a connection to our beloved spot in the Adirondack Mountains. The arts have played a big part in the life of the Silver Bay Association each summer, from employing a string quartet to offering concerts and other performances, including variety shows and a musical production put on by the employees or “emps” of the Association. When Bonnie and I worked there together one summer, we had a great time singing duets in the variety shows (including the hilarious song “Bide Thy Thyme” from P.D.Q. Bach’s The Seasonings) and performing in the musical. And our mom has the distinction of having actually broken a leg while performing as a dancer in the musical at Silver Bay! One thing I will never forget was the challenge of performing while bats were swooping around in the antique wood-and-stone building that held performances and church services!

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Although the Family Orchestra and its typewritten programs have retreated into history, I hope that future generations will continue to participate in the arts, including welcoming new spouses or significant others with talent, as our ancestors did. The arts enrich both family and community, and as I stated in the beginning of this essay, I am eternally grateful to my family for immersing me and my siblings in opportunities to express ourselves creatively.