Amani Harmonics
I had been introduced to Maître Olivier Verrey, a notaire dealing specifically with Foundations and their formalities in Switzerland. This was a huge area, I soon discovered. The intention was to set up a small foundation reflecting Ronald’s lifework with peace and the healing experience I had had with music after his death. Amani means peace in Swahili, and it felt appropriate to combine peace and music. Amani Harmonic resonated.
Maître Verrey, a tall elegant man, also director of a classical music company, was involved in the prestigious Verbier Classical Music Festival, held every year. When I met him in his palatial offices on the banks of Lake Geneva, there was a concert grand Bechstein piano in the foyer to greet me.
The aims and our story touched him, and he took our fledgling foundation under his wing, providing guidance and steering it through the difficult process of receiving tax exoneration. For the Swiss authorities, with my links to South Africa, the organisation had potential as a ‘front’. There were several high-profile cases of money laundering ,and they were being extremely cautious.
It took 3 years, with Maître Verrey becoming increasingly eloquent but curt in his official letters on our behalf. But finally we were official, and the board of the Amani Harmonic Foundation comprised myself as Fondatrice and Beth as Secretaire.
On 12 October 2013, we launched the Amani Harmonic Foundation with an official concert in Le Vagabond, sending out a wide range of invitations. Stéphane Stas, an accomplished pianist, composer and singer was to be the highlight. We had a very encouraging list of positive RSVPs.
Unseasonably there was heavy overnight snowfall and at least 10cm of fresh powder snow blanketed the terrace and small road leading up to the entrance of Le Vagabond. No 9 was the top floor, two floors up from the entrance level from where the stairs continued down another two levels.
With the unexpected snow I thought we might need to cancel the event as few people might make it. But no. Well before the start, people came traipsing up through the snow and the two flights of stairs to my front door. Keen not to miss the first musical event in the Vagabond for perhaps a decade.
Almost the first to arrive was the Ott family with Sigrid, the 90 year-old matriarch seating herself in the front row. Doyenne of the village, this remarkable woman had established important post-WWII initiatives for children, bringing them up to summer camps and the fresh healing air of Leysin. She was then instrumental in establishing the international Leysin American College, later School. A very powerful presence within the Ott dynasty. Her son and daughter now headed the restructured Leysin American School, and her grandsons were in the wings. Over several years, and prior to her death at 99, I got to spend time with Sigrid sharing her memories and love of music. She was increasingly hard of hearing but responded excitedly to the crystal bowls I took to her bedside when she had a spell in the Miremont hospital.
That first evening when music flowed from the Piano and Stéphane’s angelic voice filled Le Vagabond, I looked around at the approving audience seated in the room, delighted to be present, and I knew we had at last breathed life into the Amani Harmonic Foundation.
***
I had purchased the honey-coloured Bechstein in the name of the Amani Harmonic Foundation from Alan Braganza who owned the Piano Corner in Chatel.
Alan came to tune the piano prior to the launch and I learnt that he tuned pianos in many establishments for seniors in the Canton. One in particular sounded interesting. La Nouvelle Roseraie in the vineyards above the lake near Vevey, was a Centre des Vacances for seniors. They had a budget for animation programmes which he knew from his wife who had worked there for many years.
Beth and I met the Director soon after. This was good timing as they were finalising the programme for 2014, and we found ourselves included, offering a week- long programme of Chant et Chorale. This sejour scheduled for mid-May was to be under the guidance of Stéphane Stas as the choirmaster, with Beth and I in attendance. We were now official and had our first partnership with La nouvelle Roseraie, which was linked to the Geneva Hospital administration. I sent a copy of the brochure to Maître Verrey and knew he was delighted.
Our other key partner in our first year was the Leysin American School (LAS).
This partnership revolved around the contribution of my friend Francois Le Roux, the talented cellist from South Africa, known as the Ha! man. We developed a programme of masterclasses with the music department of LAS, which was implemented during Francois’s visit to Leysin in the spring. These masterclasses became a regular feature of our spring programme over the next few years.
Thus by May 2014 we had implemented two important activities and would have an annual report with some substance.
***
Then having planned another pilgrimage with the EarthKeepers, Beth and I set off for Palestine. My first visit to Jerusalem. I also intended to reconnect with my godson Matteo, whose mother Veronique was responsible for the Swiss development programme in this complex land. He was attending the international school in Jerusalem as were his siblings. We were introduced to the ‘real’ situation as their family lived in the Palestinian part of Jerusalem, and we watched as almost overnight another huge Israeli flag went up on a piece of land flouting international opinion and announcing the imminent arrival of another ‘illegal settlement’.
During the last few years of Ronald’s professional life coordinating the Geneva Declaration, regional meetings had been held everywhere except the Middle East. This was still on his agenda. I realised, though, on my short intense visit to the area, how insurmountable the situation seemed. I found myself wondering how he would have approached leaders and officials so self-righteous in their positions, it seemed to me.