TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Pianist Lives Up To Musical Heritage

Jesse Osbourne/Highlands Today

Marge Hedenberg poses with her Steinway piano in her Sebring home. Hedenberg is a piano instructor and also plays concerts in the community.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sue Ann Carpenter

Published: November 19, 2007

SEBRING –– The musicality of her voice is the first thing you notice about Marjorie Hedenberg. Music has been a big part of Hedenberg and her family.

Of Swedish heritage, Hedenberg's grandfather played the cornet in the king's band in Stockholm. Her mother was not only a noted soprano, but a concert whistler.

"She was so good at bird calls that the birds whistled back," Hedenberg recalled. Her father was a pianist who inspired her love of Chopin and music.

Although she tried the clarinet, her parents forced her to play it in the yard because she was so bad. Her true love has always been piano.

Born in Chicago, she attended the American Conservatory of Music at the age of 10 with her 7-year-old sister Geraldine. They took to music immediately.

Their teacher, a graduate of Julliard School, had been taught by piano virtuoso Van Cliburn's teacher. She and her sister both attended and graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor's in music. She also received a bachelor's in piano and a master's in composition (cum laude) from the American Conservatory of Music.

During her first marriage, she finished her master's, practicing four hours in the morning and four hours after lunch, memorizing 103 pages.

"They didn't renew our lease," she quipped.

She instilled her love of music and rhythm in her three children from that marriage: Wayne and Mary sang while Pamela pursued ballet.

Moving To Sebring

It was 14 years ago when she was widowed that Hedenberg moved to Sebring to be near her sister. Their oneness had always been enhanced by playing piano and knowing each other's beat by heart. Hedenberg has played weddings in the area at our Lady of Grace in Avon Park, Faith Lutheran, the Methodist church in Lake Placid, Jewish Temple, and the lobby of the Kenilworth. She's lectured at SFCC's Lifetime Learning Institute and given concerts in Lake Wales for the Sunday Afternoon Series.

It was at United Methodist in Sebring where she repeated the Lake Wales program to raise money for an AAUW (American Association of University Women) scholarship, playing all Chopin and telling the story of his life, that she met her last husband.

He was obviously smitten because he attended both performances, sent flowers and immediately asked her out.

It was a short courtship. She thought he was coming over with an Engelbert Humperdinck CD to share. When he opened the bag, there was a ring in a velvet box.

"At 90 years of age, he knelt and proposed," she said. They had four years together before he passed away in 2000.

When her sister, who had returned to Illinois, was recently widowed, Hedenberg put her house on the market and moved to be near her.

Gone for only four months, Hedenberg discovered winter no longer agreed with her and returned to Sebring.

"My ties are down here. I love my house and didn't want to leave it." She was glad her house hadn't sold because she realized how much it suited her. She'd originally had it built large enough to accommodate small recitals using her Steinway grand piano and a church-style organ.

Staying Busy

Intelligent and full of energy, Hedenberg conquers all she attempts: She sews all her concert dresses. She especially likes to decorate, painting cupboards and making drapes. She gardens for the exercise and paints with watercolor and oils. She quilts and has always written poetry, winning various contests.

She even performed in Highland Little Theatre's "Meet Me in St. Louis." Although she enjoyed acting, music is her true love. She enjoys composing her own music and has been a church organist for 50 years. She loves playing at weddings in the area and is now giving lessons in her home.

From birth to the grave, music represents the rhythm of life and Hedenberg recognizes its importance.

She said, "Don't we sing lullabies and happy birthdays and praises to the Lord at weddings and funerals?"

But to be good musically, dedication is needed. Lessons and lots of practice are required. Hedenberg has been an authorized teacher for Hammond Organ since 1950 when she was one of only 100 teachers in Chicago invited to the training period. She has always been ahead of her time, and it shows that she passionately loves life. She gives lessons on an Allen Organ. When she bought it, the selling point was that this model recorded the pipe organ in the module so that a home organ with pipe organ quality could be achieved.

Presently, Hedenberg gives lessons in her home. Three students are boys ages 3, 6, and 10 whose parents wanted them to try and see how they would take to it. "Of course Mozart was 3 when he began composing," she said. "Even autistic children can be musically savant."

Call Marge Hedenberg at 471-3256 if you've been thinking about unleashing your own musical talent.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT