Campbell Christena Catherine

Extract of an rticle by Cheryl Brink
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May 2, 2012

A piano teacher with a fivedecade career. She collected a significant following during her career as well, evidenced by reaction to her death last December. "I was struck by the number of former students who came to the wake ... and who told me about the wonderful time they had learning from her," says Christena's son, Allan MacDonald. "She was quite a patient, yet thor ough teacher,'' Allan says his mother fell in love with music at an early age, a passion that she passed on to her hundreds of students across the region. "Having lived through the Great Depression and family
tragedy, music was a vehicle for her to get through those type life crunching difficulties," Allan Christena Catherine Campbell explains.

He remembers an initiative she began at Laggan Public School, teaching not only piano
hut harpsichord and other instruments as well. "It was a hugely successful program,'' he says. "It was one of the first of its kind in the area. It got students to appreciate music,
which can be a lifelong gif.''

Allan says his mother's skills stayed with her until the very end of her life - she still played piano when the inspiration struck at the age of 95. "Really, she had a tremendous musical influence on me and on many in the counties.'' he says. "We're tremendously honoured by her upcoming induction into the hall of fame:'