Renowned Cellist Assembles A Program That Will Entertain Many While Helping One

By Shannon Hicks

Cellist Thirzah Bendokas graduated from Juilliard School of Music, having already won her first major competition and having made her concerto debut with New Haven Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16. She has not stopped performing — and teaching — since then. Today Ms Bendokas is a master musician who teaches at Taft School in Waterbury as well as the Summer Music Institute-Festival, performs whenever possible, and continues to pick up accolades for her talent.

Newtown and area residents will have the opportunity to enjoy a concert by the celebrated cellist this weekend, when Ms Bendokas leads “Dream Concert: Thirzah Bendokas & Friends” at Newtown Congregational Church on Friday, August 8. The 8 pm concert will be a celebration of an instrument that is favored by many, and will also serve as a fundraiser for friend and fellow musician Bob Veillette.

Ms Bendokas has created a varied program that should appeal to all musical tastes. Included will be selections from Ms Bendokas’s premiere CD, including “Amazing Grace,” William Squire’s Tarantella, and a special medley of works from Disney. Special guest artists, including a pianist, harpist, guitarist, and violinist, will enhance the cello.

“I’m calling this a cello event because I want to really show off the cello and also show people the different ranges, maybe even some they didn’t know was possible, for cello,” Ms Bendokas said last week. “From bass to coloratura soprano, a high voice range, accompanied by guitar to Polonaise Beillante, a major repertoire piece for cello by Chopin, I’m going to show off the many abilities of the cello.”

Ballroom dancers will perform waltz and tango during some of the selections, and there will be a harp accompanist for some of the Disney tunes.

“The cello is known as ‘the mellow cello,’ but I’m going to show off its many voices,” Ms Bendokas promised last week. “You’d be surprised how many people tell me the cello is their favorite instrument; others say it’s becoming their favorite.”

Ms Bendokas has played concerti with Boston Symphony Orchestra and with most of Connecticut’s orchestras, including Waterbury Symphony (she is former principal cellist for WSO), and has performed solo recitals as well as chamber music concerts in the United States, Austria, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, and Switzerland. She earned Mu Phi Epsilon’s Award for Musicianship at the National Music Clubs, National Arts Club, and Paderewski competitions.

Bob Veillette, like Ms Bendokas, is a lifelong resident of Naugatuck. Both attended Naugatuck High School around the same time, but graduated with different classes.

“I don’t know that we knew each other in high school, although we were aware of each other,” Ms Bendokas said. “We were both involved in the school’s music program.”

Mr Veillette’s passion for music continued long after he started a 40-plus-year journalism career that eventually took him to the position of managing editor at Waterbury’s daily paper, The Republican-American.

“Music has always been a big part of his life,” said Ms Bendokas. “He’s always been very generous, playing for libraries, organizations, foundations, playing his jazz piano and collaborating with other musicians and instruments, and always donating his time.”

When there were regional concerts, Ms Bendokas said, Mr Veillette “made sure the paper covered them well. He was always promoting and boosting music and the arts.”

Then on April 8, 2006, life for the accomplished jazz pianist and avid runner changed radically. After performing a free concert at Silas Bronson Library in Waterbury, Mr Veillette suffered a massive stroke. Unfortunately, he was also alone at the time the stroke occurred, and he was not discovered for hours. The result was locked-in syndrome, which his family website (BobVeillette.com) describes as a condition that leaves a person locked inside their body, paralyzed below the eyes but totally cognizant of the world around them.

Mr Veillette communicates by blinking his eyes, the only part of his body he can still move on his own.

Three fundraisers to help Mr Veillette and his family — wife Bonnie and grown children Stephanie, Greg, and Mark — have been held to date, including “The Stars Come Out” in September 2006 at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Ms Bendokas was one of four performers in a program created to celebrate his life and the music so loved by the 61-year-old.

For Ms Bendokas, doing one benefit for Mr Veillette was not enough.

“You put on a benefit when something happens, and then sometimes people forget about it, but the trouble doesn’t necessarily go away,” said the cellist. “His wife is a strong, wonderful individual. She’s been taking care of him at home, and it must be very expensive to be taking care of him.”

Mr Veillette went home, again according to his website, after six months of being in the hospital and rehabilitation following his stroke. The family could not find a nursing home in the region that could take care of him, and Medicaid payments initially stopped until he could get into the Medicaid program that would help pay for his care at home.

In January 2008 he was taken off the Medicaid waitlist and admitted into the at-home program, but even that does not cover the cost of all of his care. The family is still responsible for thousands of dollars each month in expenses.

“I hope to help a little, and have to thank Naugatuck Valley Savings & Loan Association and Newtown Savings Bank, both of which have made financial contributions already,” Ms Bendokas said last week. “I’m really hoping for a nice turnout because the financial burdens for that family are great.”

Ms Bendokas has performed in most of Connecticut’s cities and towns, but Friday’s concert will be her first in Newtown.

“I think a new venue is always exciting,” she explained. “I’ve always been aware of the beautiful Edmond Town Hall, and found the congregational church to be beautiful, and open and airy. They have a beautiful grand piano and organ, and the balcony, so we’re going to be able to put on a beautiful concert there.”

On Sunday afternoon Ms Bendokas will offer an encore performance of “Enchanted Dream,” this time at the historic town hall in Milford.

“The summer concert in Milford is a concert that I’ve put on in [that town] for four years. It’s an effort on my part to bring some classical music to Milford, which they don’t have a lot of,” she said. “They have a lot of jazz.”

Ms Bendokas started performing classical concerts during the holiday season in Milford about 17 years ago, and then started the summer concerts about four years ago.

“It’s such a gorgeous venue there, their remodeled city hall,” she said. “They’re so proud of it, and they keep an eye on it. It’s a beautiful concert location.”

“Enchanted Dream: Thirzah Bendokas & Friends” will be performed at Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, on Friday, August 8, at 8 pm. Admission is by donation, with all proceeds to go to The Bob Veillette Fund. Call 426-9024 or 203-824-3612 for details.