__max.jpg)
Kathryn Noel still remembers the first time she ever set foot in the National Arts Centre. She was 10 years old and the NAC had just opened its doors. “My mother took me to see the Count Basie Orchestra. I was wearing a pretty little dress. It was very special,” she recalls.
That was the first of many live performances Kathryn attended with her mother, Marjorie Goodrich over the years. “We subscribed to the ballet. We went to see the NAC Orchestra. It was my mother who introduced me to classical music. That’s where my love for the music came from,” says Kathryn.
Kathryn isn’t the only child Marjorie introduced to the beauty of live music and performance. As a teacher, she believed exposure to the performing arts is an important part of a well-rounded education. And so, she generously supported vital education programs at the NAC, including the Summer Music Institute and the Music Alive Program in her home province of Saskatchewan which aims to support and inspire learning in elementary schools.
“My mom grew up in a small town in the Prairies. She loved classical music and was actually a very talented pianist. But in rural Saskatchewan there weren’t many opportunities for her to hear live music,” explains Kathryn. “She wanted to give kids the opportunities she never had. She loved children and music. This gave her the chance to bring her two passions together.”
For this very reason, Marjorie made the decision to leave a generous bequest to the NAC. Sadly, Marjorie passed away on June 17, 2013, but, thanks to her foresight, her passion for the arts will live on in future generations. “She would be so pleased to know her support for the NAC and the arts will continue for many years to come,” says Kathryn. “The NAC was very near and dear to my mom’s heart. I’m so happy she has this legacy.”
In fact, Kathryn is very proud of her mother’s generosity and she hopes it inspires other NAC supporters to make a bequest of their own. “When the financial means are there, it’s our responsibility to be the stewards of the performing arts for future generations and our own kids and grandchildren,” she says. Your bequest will make a lasting difference in countless lives and hearts just like Marjorie’s has.
This article is from the Winter 2014 issue of Full Circle.
