thedrifter
12-02-07, 07:43 AM
Cal Rainey's love for the strings spans a lifetime
By MARY NUGENT - Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/01/2007 03:20:36 PM PST
Cal Rainey remembers years ago, when he played a violin for the first time. He was in the fifth grade. "I met the violin in an old green barn. The violin was my dad's, but he was never really interested ... It fascinated me."
Shortly after, he saw a friend playing a violin at school. The boy offered to sell Rainey the instrument, its case and bow for $10. "I raced home and asked my parents if we could buy it. I wanted to learn to play."
His parents bought him the violin, and it was the beginning of a lifelong enthusiasm.
Rainey, 82, said when he was young, music instructors went to students' homes for lessons.
"When the instructor came to my house, I played the entire National Anthem on one string. That's a difficult way to play it, but I didn't know ... I played for about 20 minutes and he listened. He never said I did well or I didn't — but he gave me two lessons a week for the price of one," Rainey recalled. "He was a good teacher."
That teacher was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. "They held a concert every Thursday night. I had never heard music like that."
In 1943 Rainey left high school to join the Marines and served during World War II. "I always wanted to be a Marine. From a ship, I watched the flag — well, two flags, go up on Iwo Jima
.. I met some outstanding people in the Marines."
He joined some 80 former Marines to celebrate the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps in November at Holiday Inn in Chico.
Once out of the military, Rainey finished high school, attended junior college and in 1952 received a degree in music from Pepperdine University. He earned a master's degree from UCLA and has played for the San Bernardino Light Opera, Highland Symphony, Pasadena Symphony and Hollywood recording studios.
He began teaching music at elementary schools in Upland, and then at a junior high in Pasadena.
In 1976 he and his wife Margarita, a pianist, moved to Chico and he taught music to elementary and junior high students for 16 years. He also opened Rainey Music. He closed the Chico store in 1985 and retired. "I still work from home a little. It's low caliber now."
He also performed as principal violist for Paradise and Chico symphonies, and he performed with the Britt Music Festival for 40 seasons. He still participates in the Paradise Symphony.
For more than a decade, Rainey has directed North Valley Youth Orchestra. All the children have had private lessons, and can be a part of the orchestra after an audition. "I don't want to scare them and I try to be kind," he said.
"We've had as many as 38 members in the past. This year we have 14 — and they all play well," he said.
Marcy Storm, manager of North Valley Youth Orchestra, said Rainey is invaluable. "What amazes me about Cal is he retired 22 years ago, and he's still giving to kids and the community."
When it comes to teaching music, his approach is perfect, said Storm. "He does not dumb it down. He pushes his students, but not beyond their capacity."
Rainey is a believer that music has numerous benefits. "Learning to play music is good for minds — playing music is good for you ... It is a good experience for children to be in an orchestra and play along with a congregation."
Retirement from teaching and running his store has offered him time to further expand his love of string instruments. "I've made 10 violins and two violas," he said.
Each instrument is a labor of perfection and detail, taking about six months to complete. He has sold them in a price range of $800 to $1,200.
He also has more than a dozen violins, damaged or incomplete in some way. He will fix or finish them to sell to music students for affordable prices.
Once he and friends started the process from scratch. "We cut down a King Spruce in Oregon to make instruments," he said.
He likes many types of music, but there are stand-outs. "Beethoven, Mozart, Aaron Copeland's 'Appalachian Spring.' "
They Raineys have been married 61 years. They have a son, Tim; children Suzanna and Steve are deceased.
Besides working on his instruments, playing them and conducting, Rainey likes the outdoors. "I like to go string fishing for trout in the mountains — Mammoth Lake is my favorite."
More often though, when he has a spare moment, he's usually making or fixing instruments. "When you get older you have to keep yourself busy, and it's a nice pastime," he said.
When it comes to lovely music and the instruments to play it, Rainey is reminded of a poem by John Keats: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
Staff writer Mary Nugent can be reached at 896-7764 or mnugent@chicoer.com.
Ellie
By MARY NUGENT - Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/01/2007 03:20:36 PM PST
Cal Rainey remembers years ago, when he played a violin for the first time. He was in the fifth grade. "I met the violin in an old green barn. The violin was my dad's, but he was never really interested ... It fascinated me."
Shortly after, he saw a friend playing a violin at school. The boy offered to sell Rainey the instrument, its case and bow for $10. "I raced home and asked my parents if we could buy it. I wanted to learn to play."
His parents bought him the violin, and it was the beginning of a lifelong enthusiasm.
Rainey, 82, said when he was young, music instructors went to students' homes for lessons.
"When the instructor came to my house, I played the entire National Anthem on one string. That's a difficult way to play it, but I didn't know ... I played for about 20 minutes and he listened. He never said I did well or I didn't — but he gave me two lessons a week for the price of one," Rainey recalled. "He was a good teacher."
That teacher was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. "They held a concert every Thursday night. I had never heard music like that."
In 1943 Rainey left high school to join the Marines and served during World War II. "I always wanted to be a Marine. From a ship, I watched the flag — well, two flags, go up on Iwo Jima
.. I met some outstanding people in the Marines."
He joined some 80 former Marines to celebrate the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps in November at Holiday Inn in Chico.
Once out of the military, Rainey finished high school, attended junior college and in 1952 received a degree in music from Pepperdine University. He earned a master's degree from UCLA and has played for the San Bernardino Light Opera, Highland Symphony, Pasadena Symphony and Hollywood recording studios.
He began teaching music at elementary schools in Upland, and then at a junior high in Pasadena.
In 1976 he and his wife Margarita, a pianist, moved to Chico and he taught music to elementary and junior high students for 16 years. He also opened Rainey Music. He closed the Chico store in 1985 and retired. "I still work from home a little. It's low caliber now."
He also performed as principal violist for Paradise and Chico symphonies, and he performed with the Britt Music Festival for 40 seasons. He still participates in the Paradise Symphony.
For more than a decade, Rainey has directed North Valley Youth Orchestra. All the children have had private lessons, and can be a part of the orchestra after an audition. "I don't want to scare them and I try to be kind," he said.
"We've had as many as 38 members in the past. This year we have 14 — and they all play well," he said.
Marcy Storm, manager of North Valley Youth Orchestra, said Rainey is invaluable. "What amazes me about Cal is he retired 22 years ago, and he's still giving to kids and the community."
When it comes to teaching music, his approach is perfect, said Storm. "He does not dumb it down. He pushes his students, but not beyond their capacity."
Rainey is a believer that music has numerous benefits. "Learning to play music is good for minds — playing music is good for you ... It is a good experience for children to be in an orchestra and play along with a congregation."
Retirement from teaching and running his store has offered him time to further expand his love of string instruments. "I've made 10 violins and two violas," he said.
Each instrument is a labor of perfection and detail, taking about six months to complete. He has sold them in a price range of $800 to $1,200.
He also has more than a dozen violins, damaged or incomplete in some way. He will fix or finish them to sell to music students for affordable prices.
Once he and friends started the process from scratch. "We cut down a King Spruce in Oregon to make instruments," he said.
He likes many types of music, but there are stand-outs. "Beethoven, Mozart, Aaron Copeland's 'Appalachian Spring.' "
They Raineys have been married 61 years. They have a son, Tim; children Suzanna and Steve are deceased.
Besides working on his instruments, playing them and conducting, Rainey likes the outdoors. "I like to go string fishing for trout in the mountains — Mammoth Lake is my favorite."
More often though, when he has a spare moment, he's usually making or fixing instruments. "When you get older you have to keep yourself busy, and it's a nice pastime," he said.
When it comes to lovely music and the instruments to play it, Rainey is reminded of a poem by John Keats: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
Staff writer Mary Nugent can be reached at 896-7764 or mnugent@chicoer.com.
Ellie