In aftermath of London riots, painful story of musician, flutes and cats
There must be innumerable stories of suffering and loss from the London riots, so it may seem unfair to single any of them out.
But this one, reported by The Guardian, pulls at two of my heartstrings -- music and cats -- and I thought it was worth sharing.
The name of Carla Rees is new to me. I know now that she's an accomplished flutist, with a speciality in the alto and bass flute.
In addition to solo work, she is artistic director of an ensemble called Rarescale. Her flair for contemporary music is reflected in her performance of over 250 premieres.
She also teaches at a college of the University of London.
By virtue of where she happened to share a flat in Croydon with her boyfriend, Rees is now homeless, victim of one of the riot-fueled fires that swept London. She and her boyfriend returned from ...
Rees, 34, lost at least 10 valuable flutes and hundreds of music scores, including compositions written for her and Rarescale -- unpublished scores filled with notes from the composers.
Adding to the devastation was that Rees lost her two cats in the blaze. Like so many Londoners, I suspect, she could not have realized that the rage and mindlessness in the streets would escalate to such destruction.
A fund has been set up online to help the flutist.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALTOFLUTE.CO.UK
