Anne Hamada
Board Director Anne Hamada says that Music of the Baroque saved her life at least three times. A 'cellist and resident of Hyde Park, Anne Hamada gave small recitals, performed with her trio, and taught 'cello from the music room in her home for over 25 years. While she began attending MOB concerts with her trio in 1973, the first "life-saving" incident occurred in 1982 when she was forced to stop playing during her recovery from a treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. "I was wondering how I would fill my time… and then I received a phone call from Linda Neal," Anne recalls. Neal, a member of MOB's board of directors, asked Anne a very important question on behalf of MOB's general manager, Lucille Ollendorff: was Anne interested in joining the board? "I certainly was." Anne enthused.
As luck would have it, another surgery in 2002 coincided with the second life-saving instance: an invitation to serve on the search committee for MOB's new music director. "I really enjoyed being a part of that committee," Anne says. "We are so lucky to have Dame Jane Glover and Nicholas Kraemer as our artistic leadership. They've taken MOB to new levels of artistic excellence."
In fact, Jane Glover and MOB's annual celebration of Mozart’s birthday in January are among Anne's favorites. "Especially concerts featuring pianists [like Imogen Cooper and Angela Hewitt]. While our performances of Bach's Passions and Handel oratorios are beyond reproach, I have a soft spot for the piano. Whenever I want to listen to music, I put on a recording of a piano concerto. And even though it's in March this year, I'm really looking forward to Inon Barnatan's debut with us for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 14."
Finally, MOB has saved Anne's life during the pandemic. "MOB is music for the soul,” Anne mused. “Even without in-person concerts, I've been able to turn to recordings of our concerts to help fill the void and give me comfort."
Anne's nearly 40-year commitment as a board director reflects her gratitude for the way MOB has enriched her life. Anne took it a step further, however, in the summer of 2018 when she donated her prized 'cello, made in 1768 by English luthier Benjamin Banks, to the organization. The instrument is currently in consignment at Chicago's A440 Violin Shop.
Read the next MOB Story: Fern Josephs