“Flying On The Moon. The Ludmila Story”

CBC Documentary.

Public Commentary

There are no words to describe my feelings, watching the Ludmila Story.

If I were to make an attempt, I would use outstanding, magnificent, incredibly moving. What I experienced was beyond that.

I would supplicate that a copy of this Story be send to everyone who has violence in the mind, who has doubts that humans are capable to create beauty and unison among us, earthlings.

Let there be Peace.

Thanks so much,

Robert, Ontario.

It was not so long ago that the great, outstanding, pianist and classical music composer, Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey, became a truly beloved, precious part of the lives of my wife and I by the way of the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s televised production of her renowned Piano Competition in Bathurst, New Brunswick and her sublime performance of the Piano Concerto, “Tabula Rasa”, which she composed for this occasion.

My wife and I are both lifelong, avid lovers of classical music. In addition, my wife is a highly accomplished lyric soprano opera singer. We were absolutely, totally and profoundly stunned by Ludmila’s Concerto. For a long while we were speechless and amazed that, in today’s world of conflict, barbarous inhumanity, and a dearth of any truly noteworthy, soul-gripping classical music, our living room was suddenly resonating with a fabulous, romantic, gorgeous, elegant, musical composition created and produced in a direct, indisputable line with that composed by the earlier great masters of musical compositions such as Dvorak, Brahms, Tchaikovski, Sibelius, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Mozart, Beethoven and on and on!

We both looked at each other and then shouted so that Ludmila could hear us in some mysterious way, “BRAVO! BRAVO!”

We were indeed made deliriously happy by Ludmila’s unique, romantic, and divinely inspired music, which has truly enriched our lives ever since this joyful, eventful, musical experience.

Richard G. McKennie

Anacortes, Washington, U.S.A.

Incredible story. Incredible music.

When is the next competetion scheduled in Bathurst. I want to be there.

Lesliel Reinhart

Odessa, Ontario

The Ludmilla Story was most finely done. I think that the whole work was a major accomplishment. Her story was inspirational. The depiction of the community effort was real. The display of the competitors was very gratifying. And the programming of it all was Superior.

I trust that the program will be repeated from time-to-time, and made available to the PBS for distribution in the US. I would hope that every high school music department could have a copy. I know from personal experience that not everyone has the potential to be a concert player, but some music training is very enriching for all young people and for our society. My City of Gig Harbor, WA, is fortunate to have a very active Arts Council which sees that our young performers are supported, but many places lack this.

Thanks for a well done work. I watched it on CBUT, via cable.

Jim, Gig Harbor, WA, USA

Dear Ludmila - This is an unusual thing for me to do - to write an email to someone I do not know as a result of a TV programme. I was spellbound during the whole programme & captivated by your Tabula Rasa. It seemed to speak to me directly. My husband & son (who was 15) died within 9 months of each other several years ago. I have done a tremendous amount of "grieving work" & have had many friends & professional healthcare workers help me through numerous difficult times. Your Tabula Rasa was so awesome for me - I could feel my husband & son beside me. I never moved & could hardly breathe throughout your whole performance. It was one of those very special experiences that is now a part of my being. Thank you for this gift.

I had never heard of you before, but now I tell everyone who will listen about you. Your absolute dedication to practice to the point of splitting your finger was to me - just wow!

Thank you once again.

Donna Cooper, Ontario

Thursday Jan.16, "Opening night" on Ludmila Kneskova-Hussey was very interesting, very well done, Mrs Knezkova is an inspiration!

Thank you

Lise St-Pierre, Quebec

Dear Dr. Knezkova.Hussey:

Words cannot express the enjoyment of the documentary featuring your competition and personal music. May I thank you for bringing it to me here in the North of Newfoundland. May I wish you continued success.

Tom Hancock

The performance of Ludmila's Concerto for piano and chorus, aired last night, January 16th, was breathtaking. I was aware of her achievement in establishing the competition in Bathurst but hadn't realized how much composing and performing she still was doing. The entire programme was riveting. Thank you CBC.

I would be grateful if you could advise me whether or not her Concerto has been recorded? Also would you know when you will be featuring the Ludmila Story on your Sunday Encore Programme?

I appreciate your attention to this request,

Ken Perry in Victoria.

With so much conflict in the world today, it was very refreshing to sit back and enjoy another "Opening Night" concert. How I look forward to Thursday night each week. "The Ludmila Story" was inspirational, awe-inspiring and very emotional. Bathurst must be proud of Ludmila, who has brought such cultural greatness to her new home. Her life story is inspiring and her musical talents outstanding. She is one of the greats!

Thank you once again for researching and presenting the very best of music, dance, theatre and human interest stories.

Sincerely,

Nina Hannigan

London, Ontario

My first e-mail ever to the CBC!

I am still thinking about the music of last evening, and wonder if it might be possible to convey to Ludmila my delight in it? And to say too that I think her grandpa would be pleased.

Sincerely,

Jackie Robertson

Dear Ludmila:

Tonight in Edmonton they show your story and I was transported to the sky with your music. I do not play any instrument or listen to classical music but when I heard the concert that you wrote for your grandfather, I was crying when I saw you playing the piano. I am mexican and came to live in this beautiful country many years ago. I wish I had been so dedicated and strong to keep my roots and tradition. Thank you very much for writting such a beatiful music. Please let me know the name of the concert so I can buy the CD . Your daughter is beatiful like you .God bless you and your family. I am looking forward for your reply. Your admire and mexican friend.

Eugenia, Ontario

Thank you for your music.

I just happened to catch CBC last evening and watched your show, your music is incredible. Thank you for Lament For Lost Love, it is a beautiful piece. I am so pleased that I stopped to watch TV at all, usually there is nothing worth while on so to find you and your music is magical.

I will be out at my local store looking for your CD.

Sincerely,

Lorna Archer-Quinn

Excellent program. Congratulations!

Wonderful show. I might have missed it because I didn't notice much in the way of advance promotion. Ludmila story and her musical creation, backed by such a great orchestra, was memorable. And the concert without commercial interruptions, to boot.

Great

Thanks,

G. Sanderson

London, Ont.

Thank you CBC for Opening Night; one of the most enriching programs in the midst of all the horror and violence we see these days. I was totally enthralled and enchanted (what more magical words can I find?) with both Ludmila's story and the one about the Kuerti's. We are so fortunate to have musicians like this in Canada and also to have the CBC to tell us about them.

Had a surprising happening about 20 years ago when three of us were relaxing in the newly renovated Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville to have none other than Anton Kuerti there practising in the lounge. He asked if we had any requests and of course the only things we could think of were popular songs which he plunked out anyway. Somehow he must have let on that he was more a classical pianist and we asked for Bach's Toccata & Fugue (as it came to mind) and he played a few bars of that. I think he forgave us our naivety because we were there for cross-country skiing, but we enjoyed in retrospect our brush with a maestro.

Keep bringing us these inspiring programs. If videos of these programs are available, please let us know that too. With appreciation and best wishes,

Constance Costanzo, Niagara on the Lake, Ont.

I really enjoy your programs each week, well most weeks! It is something to watch that is educational, enjoyable and uplifting. I enjoyed hearing about the Piano Competition in Bathurst, N.B. and hearing such beautiful music and the wonderful new composition. What talent! We would never hear about that cultural aspect of New Brunswick without your program. We need to hear and see more of the wonderful things going on in our wonderful country.

Katharine Anderson, Tobermory, ON.

I've been in Moscow, Russia for the past 4 months and, unfortunately, the local channels didn't pick up CBC's Opening Night program there! But after watching "Flying on the Moon: The Ludmila Story" I realized how much I missed your program!

I thought tonight's program was simply fantastic. It was executed with such quality that it made me proud to be back in Canada with the CBC....and the story behind it all was something great to bring to your Canadian audience.

Darren Donahue, Toronto

Yesterday night , in Quebec city, with my wife I had the privilege to assist to the history and concerto of the Ludmila story, we really appreciate it.( with satellite bell expr. vu) All the participants were wonderful musicians, thanks to Ludmila for her talents and faith to organize such evenement and cbc to permit us to vu it.

It was an evenement of unsurpassed quality and a great success, bravo, bravo, bravo!

Raymond Trottier, Quebec P.Q

We wish to say how much we enjoyed the concert from Bathurst, New Brunswick, that was featured on Opening Night. We were amazed at the talent that was assembled there and thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Ludmila with the symphony. What a remarkable woman. We also appreciated not having commercial breaks - thanks.

Ed & Cathy Seidle, Meaford, Ont.

Your program was amazing .We enjoyed it very much.

Greetings,

Margret and Rolf Staude

Its over and I am still flying,

Thank you for taking a risk on a production like that, and doing such a good job at it.

My wife and I loved the story and the concert. I was impressed by the partners you brought together to produce it. It makes me proud to know there are Canadians who can do something of this caliber - and please, if it needed public subsidies, keep spending my contribution that way.

Bob Burgess

I love your programmes, particularly those dealing with music; i.e., the Anton Kuerti programme, and last week the story of the wonderful woman in Bathurst, N.B Keep them up please, they are truly fulfilling.

Sincerely,

Marjorie Robertson.

Hi, I loved this broadcast (FLYING ON THE MOON: THE LUDMILA STORY) and was wondering if and when it might be airing again.

Thanks,

Darrell Lapointe

I so appreciate watching the productions of the Thursday evening 'Opening Night 'concerts. I especially was in awe of the energy and magnificent talent of Ludmila Kneskova-Hussey. Would you let me know if I can purchase a CD with her beautiful piano concerto that she composed for this special occasion?

Thank you.

Wanda Thomson.

We thoroughly enjoy watching the "Opening night" programs and in particular that of the evening of Jan. 16th about that amazing lady Ludmilla-K Hussey and her Bathurst concert. How encouraging to see so much young talent. The program was very well filmed. Keep up the good work.

Alec and Celia Uydens

I just want to tell you how very much I enjoyed this program "Flying on the Moon". What a fabulous story I was truly blown away. It was exceptionally well-done in presentation and content and I am so glad that I had heard the promotion on 'Information Morning". My friends and I are all of the same opinion. I would love to see it again. I'm sure there are other great stories like it around the Maritimes. Thanks again for such a wonderful program.

Janice Naves

Grand Manan, N.B.

First request: has the piano solo Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey composed for the piano competitors to play as part of their competition performance been published. Is it at all possible to obtain a copy of the music? I was only able to get part of the title and it is probably spelled incorrectly-Pavane- (It was composed for her grandfather).

Second request: has her composition "Tabula Rasa" been recorded? If so, where would it be available?

Third request: would it be possible to obtain a video of this whole programme? If so where and cost.

I would be very happy to receive any information you could supply regarding all of the above. I very much appreciate your Opening Night productions. You may e-mail me care of the above address.

Thanking you very much in advance for any information you can send.

Sincerely,

Anne Gris, Creston, BC

I always enjoy Opening Night & really got caught up in Ludmila's story. Thank you for bringing it to life!

Eleanor Kaarsberg

Dear Ms. Knezkova-Hussey,

I had the great pleasure of witnessing your concert on CBC's Opening Night last night and was particularly enamoured of the Tabula Rasa. Will you be offering this on a CD? How might I go about purchasing it?

Sincerely,

Daniel Crayne

Seattle, WA, USA

Hi Ludmila ,

Where can I get a sheet music for Pavane Pathétigue/Lament For Love Lost-Knezkova-Hussey?

When I heard this song for the first time, I was so amazed. I would like to play this song .Where can I buy it? Has it been published yet? If it hasn’t been published, is there any I can get a electronic copy from you?

Thank you,

Eugene Kim, Ontario

Hi: Just wanted to congratulate you on a great concert and let you know that we thoroughly enjoyed your “Journey” Ludmila. The concerto really captured me. You really are a talented woman-keep on going!!!

Robert Williams

Ontario