Note: This reflection was written on March 1, 2020, five days after the death of Dr. Somerville. After learning of his passing, I was moved by the Facebook tributes posted by so many of his students, and I was overwhelmed by the flood of my own memories, decades-long. Unable to sort through those memories for several days, I experienced a breakthrough and was able to write this reflection, with immense gratitude.

I just had the most wonderful experience practicing some Bach for an upcoming recital. Experimenting with various articulations, I said to myself, “I’d love to talk with Tom about this.” (Over the years we had so many such stimulating discussions.)

And in that instant — even though Dr. Somerville passed on last week — the marvelous realization came to me that I can indeed talk with him, because he is in and with me.

He is my mentor.

I don’t use the word mentor casually. Over all these years, I have studied with so many brilliant, inspiring teachers, for which I am deeply grateful. And I’ve had two cardinal mentors — guiding lights — both of whom recognized something in me that was more than I could have imagined.

The first time I was the recipient of Dr. Somerville’s gift of recognizing and cultivating potential was when I was 17, just graduating from high school and heading to undergraduate studies at USC. He was Director of Music at Westwood Presbyterian Church and hired me as Organist.

Admittedly a talented teenager with four years of organ study under my belt, I was inexperienced in so many ways. With gentle patience, Dr. Somerville invested time and energy to help me succeed, always within the context of his high standards.

photo of Tom Somerville conducting in 1970

Tom Somerville conducting in 1970

Even though I was an organ major at USC, I took every undergraduate choral and church music course that Dr. Somerville taught and sang in the choral ensembles he conducted. Any successes I have had in the choral field were built on the strong foundation he provided. A mentor teaches in ways that inspire you to learn and grow.

Over the years, Dr. Somerville was persistent in opening my eyes to my own potential, as a staff accompanist to the choral groups at Occidental College, always learning so much from his insightful interpretations of a wide variety of repertoire, vocal principles and conducting techniques and often being nudged into conducting portions of rehearsals and occasional chapel services.

Two years later, in 1981, I was hired as College Organist (including directing the Chapel Choir) at Oxy, thus beginning 20 years of joyful concert and academic collaborations with Tom. Having never run a choral program myself, he was always available to advise, observe, coach and encourage — not only in matters choral and administrative, but also in traversing the murky waters of institutional politics. He always had my back.

Many years later, I wanted to boost my conducting skills, both with singers and instrumentalists, and Tom encouraged me to apply for Helmuth Rilling’s month-long conducting masterclass at the Oregon Bach Festival. I was a bit apprehensive, having some knowledge of the intensity and rigorous expectations of the class. Once again, Tom’s encouragement and trust in my abilities, along with his skill in prepping our class for Mr. Rilling, led to a transformative experience of astounding growth as a conductor.

Even when we no longer worked directly with each other, Tom and I kept in touch, and his encouragement was unflagging. There was a time, I suppose, when I made some unconscious transition from Dr. Somerville’s student to Tom’s colleague, and I believe he seamlessly paved that way, as a mentor would.

And he will always be my mentor.