The Symphony Of Life

The Symphony Of Life .

By Paul McCann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R8F141h7LA

Catharine or Kit as she was known left her home in Cork in 1850 for America in search of fame and fortune . The voyage seemed cursed with bad luck and danger as the ship cut through mountainous waves on a rough and perilous voyage . A number of passengers perished from scarlet fever and they were buried at sea  . Kit survived the journey and not long after arriving in Ellis Island she was met by her uncle who had offered her a room in his home until she got on her feet . Her Uncle George also helped her to get a job as a secretary on the Waterfront where he worked . It was there that Kit saw the daily struggle for existence on the hungry mile around the wharfs  . They were hard times indeed and many prayed for death instead of enduring the hardship without work or food .

Many arrived at Ellis Island with no return ticket facing the bleak existence of an unknown future as new migrants in a new land .

Kit was the youngest in her family but she the first to venture out into the world on her own to find a better life . After her work on the waterfront Kit went for singing lessons at a music school which was a long walk from the wharf . Every afternoon Kit would walk instead of catching the bus as she was trying save money and didn’t want to pay for a bus fare to get to her singing lessons  .

Kit was a clever girl because she had to be . Her singing teacher was very strict as was her Uncle George especially when it came to paying for board and lodging .

Kit wrote home to her parents once a week at first and then once a month keeping them updated on her progress . Sometimes she wished she could return but refused to go back with the shame of not finding her fame and fortune .  Now and then Kit would go to the local community hall to listen to Irish fiddle players and the accordion players who would playing their reels and jigs as if their life depended on it  . They often say you can take someone out of Ireland but you can't take Ireland out of them . Kit loved listening to the music and for a homesick Irish girl it meant the world to her in the place she was living in . Sometimes she would whisper I live not where I love .  In 1855 Kit left her job on the Waterfront and started a career with the bank as a typist and relief teller .

Kit worked hard and worked her way up to the top job that saw her working as the private secretary to the manager of the bank and executive officer on the board .

Kit still attended singing lessons and was a regular performer at Church every Sunday at High Mass  One Sunday at mass there was a man who worked for a major music publisher and when he heard Kit singing he immediately knew she had a talent . He waited until outside the church to speak with her . Kit was one of the last to come out after mass was over . She always liked to stay behind a say a few quiet prayers for her family back in Ireland .

The man introduced himself as Sean Kelly from MGM Enterprises and he complimented Kit on her singing ability .  Then he offered her an option of the journey of a lifetime to travel the world from San Francisco to Paris and Rome and back to her home in Cork , Ireland . Kit was so excited and in a state of shock with what was said and could hardly put words together to accept the offer .

Eventually she found her voice and said .

"Yes" .

Kit began to see many people and places and sang on stage with accomplished musicians and small orchestras. Her voice etched the echoes of greatness born from life’s experience . Her voice touched the hearts of all who heard her and that sound would never fade from the memory of her audiences.

In 1866 Kit left her job in the bank to become a professional singer on a world tour as part of an MGM Production called The Bird Has Found Her Nest . The show was voted best stage musical of the year and Hollywood eventually contacted Kit about the lead role for a movie featuring her love of music and her passionate singing voice that had propelled her to the stage and recording studios in a very short space of time . Kit had recorded a number of songs on Vinyl records and one of her most popular songs was called .

The symphony of life . The song had captured the hearts of many audiences where she had performed and concerts were fully  booked all around the world  . On one occasion Kit sang to the President of America a private function . She was affectionately r known as Dame Kitty from Cork .  

Kit’s singing career took a new direction when she ventured into  the Christian Broadcasting field where she began singing gospel songs . It never paid her as well as her other shows but it was a personal decision that she said she had been called to do .

Kit was now being heard on many radio stations and seen different concerts around the world . Her audiences were now much smaller than before and the songs she sang were hymns and worship songs . Kit soon won the respect of another American music Publisher who specialised in Gospel Music and they offered her a 12 month world tour that became a crusade . When Kit appeared as the soloist on the stage some people said she had the voice of an angel .         

 During the crusade Kit appeared on TV as a guest for the evening . When she appeared on TV Kit loved to recite poetry from Irish writers and the love of their words was evident when she spoke .

After a long time with the crusade Kit retired from the stage and became a resident in a nursing home where she enjoyed a quiet life until she died  . Just before her death she said , life is a song , you have to love the lyrics . Today her in her memory a symphony of her life continues as if the master was still listening .   

The End

By Paul McCann 

.