Laurie M. Conrad

1946 - 2016

CONRAD, Laurie M.

Laurie M. Conrad, 69, died gently and peacefully at home on April 5, 2016 after a brief illness. She is survived by Mariette Geldenhuys, her spouse and partner of 25 years; sisters Gail Williams and Jill Swiecinski and their families; second father Edward Wittke; best friend of 50 years, Janet Fortess; goddaughter Carolyn Smith and her children, Elisabeth, Ian and Laura; cousins Donald Konowitz and Steven Konowitz and their families; countless friends around the globe; and her beloved cats Leonora, Clarissa and Oleg. She was predeceased by her father, Louis Conrad, her mother, Denise Conrad Wittke, and her second cousin Albert Einstein, with whom she shared many characteristics.

Laurie was a classical pianist and composer, piano teacher, meditation teacher, painter, writer, videographer, and gifted gardener. She received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Music Performance from Ithaca College. She started piano lessons at the age of 5 and knew right away that she wanted to be a pianist. She was also an accomplished clarinetist and played in the Lynbrook Philharmonic while still in high school. She originally came to the Ithaca College School of Music to study clarinet, but when she heard George King Driscoll play the piano, she knew that she had found her true teacher and switched to piano when he accepted her as a student. They remained friends long after Laurie graduated, and she spent many happy afternoons playing piano duets with him. One afternoon, he pointed to a framed photograph of his own master teacher and said, "He is my father, and you are the grandchild."

As a pianist, Laurie performed a vast repertoire and was known especially for her interpretation of Chopin, Schubert, Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Her playing was sublime, and her audiences were transported by her remarkable combination of passion, power, and otherworldly sensitivity.

She studied composition with Karel Husa and was a prolific composer. Laurie composed both twelve-tone and tonal music. Her oeuvre includes songs, chamber music, and works for full orchestra and choir. One of her most recent works is "Unsung Songs", a cycle of 15 pieces for piano, flute, cello, viola, and violin, set to haiku poems written by William Hurley. Her music has been played on radio and TV all over the world, and she has been the recipient of various grants for both composing and performing. A listing of her available recordings can be found at figarobooks.com.

Laurie had an inimitable laugh and an irrepressible sense of joy and humor. A Star Wars aficionado, Laurie often said "All the spiritual teachings you'll ever need to know are in Star Wars." Her extraordinary acts of generosity and charity happened daily, but came to a crescendo at Christmas -- her favorite holiday -- when she shopped for hundreds of gifts for children in need locally and throughout the world, as well as for friends and strangers alike -- everyone got a gift. She had a deep love and compassion for animals and all living creatures.

Laurie brought beauty and magic to her surroundings. She created beautiful gardens wherever she went -- at her little house on West Buffalo Street, the Pegasys TV studio, and her glorious sidewalk gardens near her home in Fall Creek, which include enchanting fairy gardens and sidewalk chalk for passersby. She started these gardens when she was unable to give concerts for six years after a car accident. When a severe allergy to yellow jacket stings curtailed her time in the gardens a few years ago, she started painting beautiful landscapes of the Finger Lakes region as a way to celebrate nature without going outdoors.

Laurie brought inspiration, healing, sanctuary, and peace to everyone who crossed her path. Her piano students thrived on her combination of extraordinary patience, gentleness, and high expectations. She taught hundreds of students, many of whom became professional musicians. She remained close to them for years after she taught them, and several of them flew across the country instantly upon hearing about her illness.

As a lifelong reverent Catholic, Laurie had a profound respect for all spiritual traditions, in particular the mystical aspects of each. She studied with Anthony Damiani, the founder of Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies, and John Payne, founder of Foundation of Light. She taught a weekly meditation class for more than 30 years and profoundly changed the lives of many of her meditation students.

As a piano teacher and meditation teacher, Laurie taught her students so much more than music and meditation, in ways they often realized only years later.

She is the author of four books on spiritual topics, which have inspired many with her unique, poetic, mystical and spiritual wisdom. Her latest book, "Footsteps on the Spiritual Path: Spiritual Exercises for Every Day of the Year," which she completed shortly before her death, will be published in the near future.

Laurie accepted her illness and death with characteristic grace, spiritual strength, and concern for others. She taught so many of us how to live, and as her final gift, taught us how to die.

Mariette is deeply grateful to "Laurie's Angels," all the friends and family members who assisted with Laurie's care and supported both of them in myriad ways; to the Hospicare staff for their compassionate care; and to health care professionals JuriaVan Ness and Priscilla Hill-Krebs, who helped care for Laurie at home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca, NY on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. with Father Leo Reinhart officiating. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. There will be calling hours at Bangs Funeral Home, 209 W. Green Street, Ithaca, NY on Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 4-7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, 200 E. Buffalo Street, Suite 202, Ithaca, NY 14850, designated for the Laurie Conrad Music and Arts Fund, which will provide grants to not-for-profit organizations in support of classical music and ballet instruction and performance and documentary filmmaking for social justice causes.