“Letter to Jonny”
Dear Jonny,
I don’t know how to begin… I can vividly imagine you sitting there in your music room, welcoming me in saying “hello dear, do come in”, with that mischievous smile of yours. All this seems surreal.
It’s strange – I always knew that you were important to me, but I did not realise just how much. You are ingrained in who I am today – let me tell you how.
I met you when I was 14. When you are a teenager, caught up in the middle of that turbulent phase, it is very hard to find a place where you can embrace your true colours. Somewhere where nobody judges you. A safe zone. To me, that was your music room. You allowed me to let go and be present – in the moment – whether that was through our silly conversations or through music.
Hours would go by where we’d sit there, you on the piano, me singing. There was something so magical about that (predominantly as they were Disney songs). You’d pick up on my subtle expressions and tailor your piano in accordance. We had a continuous rapport through music, speaking a language of our own.
It was during this time that my passion for music shone through. I had always done music for as long as I could remember, and I always enjoyed it. But I was never fully immersed in it until then. It was as though a gateway opened, where music entered my soul. Needless to say, you were a big part of this journey.
Hearing you play was simply wonderful. You made the instruments come alive and tell a story. One minute you’d be goofing around talking about goats, and the next, you infuse the air with sheer harmony. Listening to your sound put me at ease, as though the outside world did not matter. It was truly hypnotic.
So I thank you, Jonny. Thank you for being my teacher. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for encouraging me to sing. Thank you for sharing your music with me. Thank you for being in my life.
With love, Emily
