In Memory

Alice Corbeil



 
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10/11/11 03:06 PM #1    

Marsha Carter (Stevens-Pino) (1970)

I don't think I knew Miss Corbeil had taught at CHS. I remember her from elementary school. For a long time I kept recordings of the fabulous choirs she directed with little kids singing in at least three part harmony. She believed we could do it...so we did.


11/19/13 03:54 AM #2    

Grant Sontag (1973)

She taught music at Sycamore when I was a kid - always got her pitch from her violin and not the piano! She lived next door to the Claremont Congregational Church with her mother and as far as I iknow remained single throughout her life.


11/20/13 09:34 PM #3    

Liza Marie Nesbitt (Sauls) (1974)

She was our choir teacher at Condit Elementary in the 60s also. I remember getting to perform with other schools on the Bridges stage.  I still have the record from the performance! 


01/13/16 09:00 AM #4    

Suzanne Beth Fuller (Braswell) (1975)

Miss Corbeil directed the choir at Sycamore School, but she also put together Spring choral events that brought  together kids from the entire school district. Does anyone remember singing in one of these fêtes at Big Bridges around 1968? We sang the 'Waltz of the Flowers,' following a marvelous performance by the Claremont Symphony, which included the 'William Tell Overture.' The latter had us all vibrating in the balcony before we went on stage, bouncing up and down in our seats. I believe that she also taught violin privately in Claremont, and that she came to California from Canada, where she was born. In addition to having fabulous pitch (I, too, remember her violin and the silky green cloth that accompanied it in its case), she was a generous and warm person.


06/15/17 11:53 PM #5    

John Yu-Jen Chen (Wang) (1986)

Ms Corbeil was my violin teacher from 1981 to 1986 and so we spent hours and hours together playing music.  She has a cute white toy poodle who would always greet me at the door when I went in for my lesson.  She took me to concerts in Pasadena and really was almost a grandmother to me.  She also was the concert master of Claremont Symphony where I also played for a season or two and we had marvelous expereinces giving public concerts.  I remember for several year, she tireless gave me extra lessons to prepare for John Walker competition though I never really performed that well.  I think she was a bit disappointed in that.  One of the biggest regrets I have was losing touch with her after leaving for college and I believe I only saw her once after that.  Year later when I heard that she had passed away I almost brokedown and cried.  I had meant to seek her out but never did until it was too late.  I'm really glad there's forum to remember my wonderful violin teacher whom I still think about whenever I pick up my violin, which I still do frequently.

 

 


07/20/17 09:03 AM #6    

Sharon Esterley (1961)

Posted on behalf of Jane Chen, Upland High School, Class of 1996
janemarie.chen@gmail.com

I took violin lessons from Ms Corbeil for 10 years, from 1985-1995, starting when I was 7 years old. Ms Corbeil was a tough teacher, but she cared fiercely about her students. I've never in my life met someone so dedicated to her students; she would often give me free lessons to prepare for competitions, and would ask me to practice early in the mornings, and then to call her when I was done with my practice.

It was thanks to Ms Corbeil that I came to love the violin, and to love classical music. She was the only person in my life, other than my immediate family, whom I saw so regularly over that 10 year period. Before Ms Corbeil passed away, I was one of her last students. Unfortunately, in my senior year of high school, I decided it was time to move on to another teacher, and I never had the courage to let her know or to say goodbye, as she often took her students leaving quite hard.

During my first year of college, I found out that Ms Corbeil had passed away. I was devastated for never having had the chance to say thank you or goodbye to this amazing woman, who shaped my life profoundly. I still think about her today, over twenty years later.

So thank you, Ms Corbeil, for believing in me, for instilling in me a deep appreciation of music, and for teaching me how to play the violin, which has become a part of my soul. I hope you have moved on to a peaceful place, and are continuing to bring music to everyone around you. 

Ms Corbeil had a beautiful violin. I don't know what happened to it, but if anyone out there does, I'd love the opportunity to see or take a picture of it, in memory of her.


09/15/19 05:43 AM #7    

Erik Seineke (1964)

I loved the experience of being a part of something greater than the individual. Choir was a choice, and tryouts were intense! We performed at Bridges Auditorium for special occaisions and The Christmas Program was always well received and the most rewarding as well!! That time at Oakmont is always a memorable experience - until 6th grade. We were the first 6th grade class at Eleanor Daily Condit School - circa 1958 - the year My voice went into hormonal disaster !! Choir tryouts , once again, a solo that put Me "on the bench" !!

Tributes to Miss Corbeil are so compelling - She impacted many of Us in sharing Her passion with

ALL OF HER CHILDREN .     Rest in peace!!    Erik Seineke in Prescott, Arizona    meseineke@msn.com

 

 


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