The Times

Saturday, August 21, 1976, page 10 (of 27)

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Young pianist returns God's gift through music

By ELIZABETH OWEN Staff Writer When Laura Maxey was six years old, there was no piano at home. But in nursery school — at Granada Presbyterian Church — there was. The curious pre-schooler developed a fascination for the instrument, and found she could not leave it alone. "I was always playing it," said Laura, now 17. "My nursery school teacher, Mrs. Allen, finally called my parents and said, 'You'd better get this child a piano.'" So when the Maxeys moved into their new home on SW 96th Street, their first piece of furniture was a piano — a Wurlitzer Upright. Laura began taking lessons and before she knew it, she was being asked to accompany various music groups, to teach lessons herself and even to try her hand at composing. The senior at Westminster Christian School has a Knabe Baby Grande now, and she still can't leave those 88s alone. She practices two to three hours a day on school days and four to five hours a day on weekends. "It interferes a little bit with my social life . . . a lot of times I'll have to forego something I'd like to do, but you have to sacrifice if you want to get anywhere," she said. There are considerable demands on Laura's time, besides practicing. She is a church pianist at University Baptist Church. If a guest soloist comes to the church — like Claude Rhea, director of the music department at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., two years ago — she must accompany him. When the Anita Bryant Singers came to University, they too asked Laura to join them, there and at the Around the World Fair at Tropical Park. "Playing at the church is the greatest experience I could have," said Laura. "It comes easily to me, and the people appreciate it and let me no know. "I just feel it's a good way to use my talent for the Lord — since He gave me the talent." Laura Maxey Her older sister Anita did play the piano as well, but gave it up in high school to become a cheerleader. Her 13-year-old sister Michelle plays the flute in the school band, and older brother Richard, who sings baritone, was president of the Concert Chorus at Palmetto Senior High School. In the summer of '75, Laura was chosen to play with one of the student orchestras at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, N.C., after she won runnerup in the concerto competition. This past May, she had her own solo recital at Gusman Hall. Four hundred people showed up to hear her play selections from Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel, Griffes, Dohnany and Ginastera for an hour and a half. "I'm still recovering from that," she admitted. At Westminster, Laura and another pianist take turns accompanying the school choir. When the school band goes to the Solo and Ensemble Festival to perform for band ratings, Laura plays along. Receiving the inevitable honors for her efforts takes its toll, too. Recognition at an early age makes the budding pianist even more conscious of where she wants to go. She said her teachers over the years — first Pamelia Bedingfield, then Phyllis Warren, and now Rosalina Sackstein — have not pressured her to go to a conservatory. "I would prefer a school with a strong music department to a conservatory," she said candidly. There's plenty of time for a conservatory later, she added. Whenever the young pianist feels her head swelling from her success, she is brought back to reality with a jolt. "The minute I start feeling good about myself, something comes along to knock me down, to make me realize I'm going to have to work as hard as anyone else," she said. "You tend to rest on your laurels if you get too proud."

SYMPATHY FLOWERS

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SCIENCE OF MIND

7800 Miller Road Sunday 11:00 A.M. 274-0571 or 274-0610

SOUTH DADE HEBREW ACADEMY

3 Years through 8th Grade Traditional Judaica Studies All Certified Teachers Comprehensive English Program Individualized Instruction "The Academy admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin." Limited Enrollment 11801 SW 74th Ave. Call: 253-2300

South Miami Baptist Church planning mid-summer revival

The First Baptist Church of South Miami, Sunset Drive at SW 67th Avenue, will hold its mid-summer revival campaign from Sunday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 29, with services each evening at 7:30. The Stone Brothers from Mobile, Ala., will be conducting the singing and rendering special musical numbers during the week. The nursery will be open for pre-school children. The public is invited to attend. Saintly sermon On Sunday, Aug. 22, at 10 a.m., Rev. Richard J. Bailar will speak on "To Be a Saint" at Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSoto Blvd. The Coffee Hour following worship services will be hosted this week by the Evening Circle of the Women's Fellowship. Methodist women The United Methodist Women of Bryan Memorial Methodist Church, 3713 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, will have a Craft and Fellowship day Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Methodist men The United Methodist Men of Olympia Heights United Methodist Church, 3801 SW 97th Ave., will have a garage sale at the church on Saturday, Sept. 18. Membership Cutler Ridge United Methodist Church, 20740 Old Cutler Road, has two membership Sundays planned, one for Sept. 12, for those who are transferring to the church and another on Oct. 10, for those who want to have the opportunity of attending a seminar on the meaning of church membership before joining. The seminar will be held at 9:45 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. Sunday morning, Sept. 19, 26 and Oct. 3 and 10. For more information call Pastor Walter Edwards at 235-6651 or 235-2764. Bring a friend Wayside Baptist Church, 7701 SW 98th St., will reward Sunday school members (grade one through college/career) who will bring a friend to Sunday school, this Sunday, Aug. 22, with two free tickets for the Aug. 26 Miami Oriole baseball game.

Church Directory

Attend The Church Of Your Choice SCIENCE OF THE MIND CENTER INTERNATIONAL 50 S.W. 17 RD. PRACTICAL APPLICATION FOR UNIVERSAL LAW & METAPHYSICS 854-0211 FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 121 Alhambra Plaza Rev. Carroll L. Shuster, Pastor Church School — 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship — 10:30 A.M. FLAGAMI BAPTIST CHURCH 860 S.W. 76 Court Phone: 261-1464 Dr. Charles Horton, Pastor SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30 A.M. WORSHIP SERVICES 10:45 A.M. 7:30 P.M. THE LE JEUNE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Le Jeune Rd., at S.W. 4 St. 448-7481 Dr. Robert C. Duhs, Pastor Sunday Services 11:00 A.M. & 7:30 P.M. OLYMPIA HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3801 S.W. 97 Ave. Pastor Ross M. Geiger Church School — 9:00 A.M. Worship Service — 10:00 A.M. & 7:30 P.M. MAGNETIC ENERGY HEALING Free explanation every Mon. 7 P.M. PEACE CHURCH INC. Rev. Charles Collins 50 S.W. 17 Rd. 854-0211 ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA 9200 S.W. 107 Ave. Fr. Cyril M. Hudak Sunday 8, 9, 10:30, 12 Noon UNIVERSITY BAPTIST CHURCH Riviera Drive at Segovia Coral Gables, Florida Sunday Services — 11:00 A.M. & 7:00 P.M. PASTOR — DAN YEARY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN AT IMMANUEL LUTHERAN 1770 Brickell Ave. Paul Anderson, pastor Worship Services 11 A.M. VISITORS AND NEWCOMERS ALWAYS WELCOME INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH WESTWOOD LAKE 4301 S.W. 107 Ave. SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:45 A.M. WORSHIP SERVICE 10:55 A.M. TRAINING UNION 6:30 P.M. WED. MID WEEK PRAYER SERVICE 7:30 P.M. MARVIN GOCHENOUR, PASTOR SUNSET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 9025 SUNSET DRIVE SERVICES & CHURCH SCHOOL