Hank Levin - 2-7-2004 at 12:18 AM
Dear Lovers of Mid East Music,
I am very sad to report that we have lost our great and talented friend, Mimi Spencer. Yesterday at her home at approximately 5 PM, attended by her
mother Hanna, she finally succumbed to lung cancer, which she had been fighting valiantly for many months.
Mimi played a number of Middle Eastern instruments for purposes of teaching, but her specialty was the kanun, the ubiquitous zither of the Middle
East. A very difficult instrument, it exists primarily in two forms, Arabic and Turkish. Mimi excelled in both.
She started out as a dancer, and kept up an interest in dance until her health began to fail her. As an instrumentalist, she was primarily
self-taught, although she studied at times with some of the world's top musicians, including Turkish oud virtuoso Necati Çelik, and kanun
virtuosos Halil Karaduman and Göksel Baktiger. Through her dedication she attained a level of mastery on kanun that equipped her to perform on stage
with world class musicians.
As a vocalist, Mimi's strong contralto voice and her versatility allowed her to perform professionally in a number of languages.
As far as I know, Mimi did not have a university degree in music or musicology; but her level of expertise as both musician and musicologist greatly
surpassed many recognized musical authorities. In my opinion, she would certainly have deserved to be given an honorary degree--and would probably
have been given one if she had cared about the credential.
Mimi performed and recorded extensively with the band Jazayer, whose other members included percussionist Vince Delgado, violinist Devija Croll and
oudi Coralie Russo. Mimi also recorded extensively with percussionist Mary Ellen Donald. She has performed as a guest artist in many other albums as
well. Mimi made numerous appearances as a guest artist on Berkeley's Pacifica Radio KPFA.
Mimi was a dedicated teacher, and nearly every student of Middle Eastern music in the Bay Area has either studied with her or has had some significant
contact with her. She did numerous transcriptions of Middle Eastern music.
Mimi directed the non-profit organization Near Eastern Music West, through which she managed to sponsor and support an impressive array of visiting
artists from other countries, making their concerts available to us here in California, and occasionally enabling them to record. Also, through NEMW,
she acquired musical instruments of all kinds and made them available to local musicians at little or no markup.
Mimi Spencer was a treasure of the San Francisco Bay Area. Between her dedicated sponsorship of Middle Eastern music and its musicians, her tireless
teaching, and her inimitable vocal and instrumental performances, she will be greatly missed.
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I do not yet know of any upcoming memorial service for Mimi. If appropriate, I will try to forward this information when I have it.
I have written this announcement in the moment, only from my personal knowledge of Mimi and her life and without having had time to throughly
research. So, if I have included any errors, or failed to mention any significant associates, I apologize, and ask you to await more thorough reviews
of this great person's life. I'm sure they will follow. --Hank Levin
mavrothis - 2-7-2004 at 07:28 AM
This is very sad to hear. Thanks for making us aware of this Hank.
mavrothis
Mike - 2-7-2004 at 07:33 AM
Hello Hank,
That is sad to hear. I have heard a lot about Mimi Spencer. She definitely was a treasure, and although I didn't know her personally, I know she
will be dearly missed. One of my friends from up North studied rythyms with Mimi. Thanks for sharing this with us all, and our condolences to her
family.
Mike
David Parfitt - 2-7-2004 at 08:43 AM
Hi Hank
I'd just like to express my condolences too. The only contact I had with Mimi was when I ordered a Necati Celik CD from her, but her reputation
spread far and wide.
David
spyros mesogeia - 2-7-2004 at 11:08 AM
....My condolences .... May God bless her soul....
Spyros
TruePharaoh21 - 2-7-2004 at 11:23 AM
May God be with her and her family in this time... our prayers are with her.
Peter
Mimi's passing
spyrosc - 2-7-2004 at 02:13 PM
I just found out last night and I'm devastated because Mimi was currently my oud teacher.
She is irreplaceable and unforgettable.
She's probably playing the qanoun in front of God as we speak, and I mean no blasphemy.
I also don't mean to contradict Hank who knew her much longer, but she told me many times that she had studied music formally, and she also
mentioned a specific course in "Music of the world" where she first came in contact with Middle Eastern Music, which according to her,
"Changed her life".
Well all I can say is that the same Music has changed the life of all of us, and hope that this beautiful art form of a very civilized and advanced
people, the Arabs, can help to bring people together from all over the world, as it's doing right here on Mike's site.
Spyros C.
john (beloved) habib - 2-7-2004 at 07:16 PM
Although I don't know anything about Mimi, a loss of life is a loss of a soul, something we all share in common. Sorry to hear about it...
My Sympathies
mawoud - 2-7-2004 at 08:52 PM
My deepest sympathies to Mimi's family and friends.
Nader
Good bye Mimi
spyrosc - 2-8-2004 at 02:00 AM
Here's a small sample of my late beloved teacher's work. Sorry guys it's qanun, but she played the oud just as beautifully
Spyros C.
Good bye Mimi
spyrosc - 2-8-2004 at 02:03 AM
Here's a small sample of my late beloved teacher's work. Sorry guys it's not oud, but she played the oud just as beautifully
Spyros C.
TruePharaoh21 - 2-8-2004 at 02:34 AM
She was undoubtedly a kanun virtuoso. I found some of her CD's on maqam.com:
http://www.maqam.com/cgi-bin/cdtest.cgi?keywords=Mimi+Spencer
She's simply amazing. My condolences.
TP21
Rumi Quote in Honor of Mimi Spencer
John - 2-9-2004 at 05:18 PM
I mourn the passing of a friendly acquaintance who was a dedicated musical performer and teacher, and who was pivotal in creating a Near Eastern music
community in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Oh fly, oh fly, O my soul-bird
Fly to your primordial home!
You have escaped the cage--
You wings are spread to the air...
From this world of separation
To union, a world beyond worlds!
-Rumi
Peace,
Udi John