- Published on
Doctor and mandolin player Olga Bolitho with Concordia’s musical directors
Basil Hawkins and Juliette Maxwell
By Carol Robinson
IMAGINE what life was like being born eight years after World War I, followed by childhood during the Depression of the 1930s, followed by World War II.
These are the times Olga Bolitho was born into. Life was hard. Despite tough times, her mother scrimped and saved to purchase a piano. Olga enjoyed hearing her mother playing and singing. She has fond memories of this and said her mother had a beautiful contralto voice.
She learned to play piano at first from her mother, then she had lessons from a teacher who guided her to complete piano exams. With a giggle, she explains that she was very naughty and did not do much practice, yet she passed her piano exams. This was her childhood music experience.
Her inspiration for learning the mandolin as an adult came from discovering a mandolin in a wardrobe in her parents' house. By then, she had a busy professional life as a doctor. She used to rush after work to lessons on Fridays.
Her teacher introduced her to Concordia, a mandolin and guitar ensemble. She joined the mandolin section in the 1980s, soon after its inception in 1978.
Concordia is a plucked string orchestra comprising about 20 members playing various instruments: mandolin, mandola, mandocello, double bass and classical guitar.
The highlight was a concert tour of Italy in 1984 where Concordia performed in an international competition against historically strong European ensembles – and won.
As a gift for Olga's 100th birthday, the original poster program with all the names of the ensemble members was given to her. This was kindly donated by a former founding member, Judy John.
Not surprisingly, Olga still has her photo album of that tour full of fond memories.
She says Concordia gave her a sense of camaraderie and belonging with like-minded people. She enjoyed the style of music composed for mandolin, and indeed playing despite saying she was not the best player. Interestingly, her cat loved her playing, sitting next to her as she practised!
Olga reckons she was not the best player but her cat loved her playing, sitting next to her as she practised.
These days, Olga resides in Cowes. Other current members living in the Bass Coast area include Concordia’s musical directors Basil Hawkins and Juliette Maxwell (also double bass player and accordionist), Michelle Nelson, guitar leader and resident composer, and Carol Robinson, guitarist.
Carol Robinson plays guitar with Concordia, which plays a concert in the Corinella Public Hall at 2pm on Sunday, November 22.