Memories

Please share some of your favorite memories of Bonnie

"When I was young, I remember looking at her fingers and thinking they were magical. Her music sounded unlike anything I could create at the time. As I’ve grown older, I still believe this to be true. She had a touch - on the keyboard and on her students lives - that was simply magic."

-Candace Winterton, piano student & granddaughter

"Aside from the many fond memories as her granddaughter, I have many wonderful memories as her piano student. I had the privilege of taking lessons from her starting at the age of 5, up until I graduated high school. I remember always feeling welcomed, supported, and loved whenever I came to piano lessons. She always helped me realize and recognize my potential as a pianist, as well as a person. Some of my favorite specific memories:

• I loved Christmas time when she would give all of her piano students the cutest gift- an orange to be healthy, a pencil to be smart, and a chocolate orange to be happy!- she would always say the last part with a little smirk and a chuckle. ❤️ I sure loved her cute laugh! I plan to continue that Christmas gift tradition with my current and future students in memory of her. 

• I always loved and looked forward to piano peer performing classes. I felt so proud to be her granddaughter and I always wanted to make her proud of how I performed. I would announce my piece, look over at my grandma to make sure I did okay, and was always reassured by her sweet smile and gentle head nod. I remember writing “love notes” (comments about the performer’s piece) to the other performers and receiving “love notes” from my grandma and the other performers. Her comments were always so uplifting, and her constructive criticism made me determined to be better and want to make the piece perfect. I always enjoyed m&m’s and creamies after classes. 

• I remember when she taught me how to teach my first piano lesson. She wrote down so many helpful hints in my notebook and helped me feel confident that I could be a great piano teacher. I remember feeling like she was just the smartest piano teacher in the world, and I remember feeling her love of music and her love of teaching and sharing music. 

• I once interviewed my grandma for a school project when I was 11 years old and looking back on that interview (I still have the essay I wrote about it), it is very apparent how much music was a huge part of her life- she adored all her students, she LOVED teaching and sharing the gift of music, and she hoped her students would go on to pursue music and teach as well. In the interview, I asked her if she like teaching piano lessons and here is a bit of what I recorded from her response, “I love teaching piano lessons! I have darling piano students. They are good, they practice, they are wonderful, and I want to teach them so they can teach piano to other people!” She was always thinking of others, and lived and breathed music! 

• My grandma was so encouraging through my college piano experiences. She was there to support me at my sophomore recital at the University, and for my senior recital I felt it was a privilege to perform my program for her in her home where my piano journey began. 

• I now teach piano lessons and have created my own piano studio, and she is honestly the teacher I strive to be. She wholeheartedly taught with love and passion, and she was so good at building positive relationships with all her students while giving them such a great music education. She is my inspiration and I hope that I can become the incredible teacher she was."

-Jacqueline Winterton Costley, piano student & granddaughter

"Creamies at class, flaxseed shakes after lessons, her handwriting in red pencil, her sweetness when I would completely botch a performance, her hand movements when she would talk, the lotion bottles cut in half so she could scrape out every last bit, the rug on the piano bench, the Christmas peanut m&ms, going to the Symphony with her, her beautiful style and elegance."

-Rachel Miles, piano student & granddaughter

"I loved playing duets with Bonnie. She played with such emotion and helped me to put my feelings into the music too. And I loved how she taught me to end my pieces. She always added such a special touch through those endings."

-Emma Nelson Tatton, piano student

"I loved going to my piano lessons! Bonnie wasn’t just my piano teacher, she was also my mentor and friend. I always left my piano lessons feeling better and standing a little taller. She had a way with people, especially youth, and always had a smile on her face and something positive to say.

I love how classy Bonnie was. She was such an elegant lady. She always wore beautiful jewelry and a stylish hat and I loved that about her! "

Bonnie taught me that it’s okay to play a wrong note once in awhile because there were always more right notes than wrong notes in my playing. 

Bonnie also taught me how to play with feeling and make the music come alive. She would tell me to play so loud that it would make her say “too much” or play so slow that it would make her say “too much”. I use this technique with my students today and it works wonders!

I love seeing her handwriting in my music. She would write descriptive words like “beautiful, elegant, smooth, lovely” to help me play my piece with the right character. 

More than anything she said, I remember how Bonnie made me feel. I always knew how much she cared about me and about each of her students. She always made me feel valued and loved and I will be forever grateful for that."

-Eliza Nelson Melville, piano student

"I loved that she always had creamies at piano class and after every recital. I have fond memories of writing “love notes” at piano class and I was always inspired after each class to do better.

I was also fortunate to grow up on the street up from her. I sang in the ward choir while she was the chorister. She taught me the sacred role and reverence of the hymns. When I had a piano solo in church, she taught me to end the piece with elegance and grace by slowly lifting my hands off the keys and gently laying them in my lap.

I will never forget the amazing privilege of playing at Concerto Night in high school. I could have never gotten there without her. 

She always made me feel important and worthwhile, even when I messed up or didn’t practice as much as I should’ve. 

She was definitely the best dressed old lady around. She always carried herself with poise. Bonnie was the best teacher!"

-Alexis Thompson Watson

"I think that one of my big “why’s” of being a piano teacher has to do with the joy that I feel when I make music. It has to do with the ability to pass on that joy to others to enrich and uplift their lives, just as my life has been changed by music and by inspiring music teachers like Bonnie. When I think of the word “joy” in the context of teaching, I think of my dear piano teacher, Bonnie Winterton. She is definitely one person who has truly inspired me in my life. She always exemplified joy and love in her teaching, and through her positive example inspired me (and I’m sure countless others) to become a teacher. When I went to her as an awkward, somewhat unsure of myself thirteen-year-old to audition for her studio, she said to me, “I teach teachers.” And the way she said the word “teachers” made it sound like the noblest, most important career you could ever have. I think that really made an impression on me. Her joy and love for teaching has everything to do with her love for her students, and I believe that this is something that truly instilled us with confidence. Whenever I performed at a much-prepared-for recital or concert or audition, no matter how I played she would always come up to me afterwards, look me in the eye with a big smile and say, “Be happy!” To me, this is the kind of teaching I want to strive for; teaching that is full of joy and positivity, that instills in my students not only a love and appreciation for the music (and for teaching, if they choose to teach one day), but a confidence that will change their lives for the better."

"I recently found a photo of me and Bonnie in front of her house after my first recital with her. My first gut reaction was to cringe a little bit – this was when I was slowly emerging from my “awkward years” – I had just gotten contacts and still had braces on my teeth. I kind of wonder what the heck I am wearing and what is happening with my bangs! But then I look at it again and what I love most about this picture is seeing my teacher with her arm around me, a giant smile on her face. I can tell that she was proud of me. It reminded me of something she said to me several years ago. I called her up during my senior year in college to interview her for a paper I was writing. I asked her lots of questions about teaching. I asked her about her teaching goals and what she loves about teaching. Here is what she said (this is SO Bonnie – I can hear her in my head saying this with emphasis):

"What I love the most [about teaching] is what happens with students. Let’s take you for example. You came into my house with braces on your teeth, a little junior high girl, and in six years you changed from a little kid [to] a vibrant, stable, gifted, happy person with goals of your own! We got you started teaching!

"I was encouraged when I was fifteen to start teaching, that is what I like to do with my students. I encourage them to start teaching, get a student or two. I teach them a lesson on “How to teach the first piano lesson” – and then you realize you really can do it!

"[My goal in teaching is] to take the little girls with braces and turn them into what you are – a wonderful, happy, capable person who can handle the world!! You are confident, happy, you have courage and character – you gained all of these because of your music. Music develops character and strength! You are a self-reliant, happy person! You are those things largely because of your music. Music turns people into wonderful, happy, confident, capable people! I always say “You can walk out of my door, but you can’t walk out of my heart!” I want to know everything that happens in your life, I love you!!! That is the great gift and influence of music."

-Bonnie Winterton

So, I love this photo. To me it represents how far I have come, how much music has changed me, how much my piano teacher means to me and has influenced me in my life. We have such influence as piano teachers! Let us always remember how important our job is, not just in producing pianists but in nurturing people."

"Bonnie always made me feel like I was a wonderful person. She always made me feel loved. She not only inspired excellence in our piano playing, but she always taught with joy and love. I loved how she would always exclaim, "WONDERFUL!" when I played a passage well in my lesson. She had an incredible ability to train wonderful pianists because she treated us as if we were wonderful people. We were motivated to practice hard and to play well because we wanted to live up to how she already viewed us, as wonderful people and wonderful pianists. I loved writing and receiving "love notes" at piano class, and creamies after classes and recitals. I loved Bonnie's fancy outfits and hats - she always looked amazing for every occasion. I love that she kept in touch with me even after I wasn't her student anymore. I was always so grateful that she came to Provo for my recitals at BYU to support me. I will always remember her calling down the stairs, "Yoo-hoo! Boyd!" Once my sisters and I got to watch the Days of '47 Parade on tv and eat cereal downstairs with Boyd during each other's lessons! I remember Bonnie warming up my cold hands before a lesson in her sink. I will always remember her cursive handwriting scrawled all over my music in pencil, colored pencils and even some marker in my pieces I performed. I love and cherish those musical scores to this day. I love that Bonnie taught me a lesson on how to teach a first piano lesson, and she even got me my very first piano student (her next-door neighbor)! I loved her inspiring comments at recitals. I love that she believed in me - when I didn't make it into the piano program I wanted to, she still believed in me and took the initiative to write a letter that ultimately got me in and changed my life. I will be forever grateful for that. And mostly I love that I got to spend weekly time with Bonnie, one-on-one, learning about music and life, for over five years. She is an incredible person."

-Jenny Gibbons Boster, piano student

"Bonnie Winterton. Many of you know her as grandma and others as a piano teacher, neighbor, mentor and friend. To me, she is all of those things. Enough for me to call my first born Bonnie. When I was 13, Bonnie took me in as a piano student and transformed me into a musician. She always said “practice on the days you eat,” “the rests are more important than the notes,” go slow to go fast,” “make weak things become strong” and “music is a gift to be lovingly shared with others.” She exudes Christ-like love and service. She was always playing for funerals, birthday parties or just to comfort people. She made sure her students shared music and nurtured the gift that was from God. I remember her emphasizing learning classical music along with hymns or primary songs. She would tell me that while classical composers taught us structure and musicality, the hymns and primary songs taught us about the plan of salvation. She worked on the church music board and I know those songs were important to her. When learning a song, she would tell us how we could connect with it or with the composer which would connect it with the audience. Bonnie has six kids so (back then) I wanted six kids just like her. She taught at the university of Utah for 27 years—-so, I wanted to go to the University of Utah. She walked the track everyday so I wanted to run everyday. I remember in high school, I was struggling with many inner demons. I stopped caring about piano. One day, I came in and she lovingly told me that if I didn’t nurture my talent anymore, it would abandon me and it would die. She told me that I needed to get my act together. But she was always a safe haven when I needed some constructive criticism. From that point on, I put music first and she was able to get me ready for concerto nights and admittance into the University of Utah school of music. Even during college when she was no longer my teacher, she would always make time for me. Whether it was to talk on the phone, listen to me play and critique me or meet my babies. So to me, she is like Christ because she shares gratitude, kindness and love. 

 

-Brittany Haglund, piano student

"Dr. Bonnie Winterton was a great lady who had a remarkable impact upon our entire family. She taught piano to four of our children—Jenny, Liz, Abby and Josh—from about 1995 until not long before Josh left for his mission in 2011. Here are a few of my favorite memories of this remarkable lady and hero-figure in our lives:

BONNIE’S HOME PIANO STUDIO: When our daughter Jenny started taking piano lessons from Bonnie in about 1995, we were awestruck by the beautiful studio Bonnie had created and maintained in her home—a private concert space with a raised dais containing not one, but two Steinway grands! The furnishings, artwork on the walls and peaceful ambience all gave a feeling of culture, refinement and peace. I remember sitting in that studio for many hours while waiting for my children to finish lessons or during recitals and soaking up the feeling of history and artistry that it conveyed. “IF YOU NEED A PIANO, JUST PRAY FOR IT”: When we began our family association with Bonnie we had a single piano in our house—a vintage Baldwin Acrosonic spinet, which my wife Julie had bought used when she was a young single woman. Soon we had one daughter, then two, then three, then a son studying with Bonnie. We thought our little Baldwin was totally sufficient for our needs, but Bonnie told us early on that our children really needed a grand piano to practice on. Money was tight at the time, and we wondered how on earth we could afford another piano. Bonnie then told us, “If you need a piano, just pray for it!” We thought she was joking, but she said, “I’m totally serious. If you pray for a piano, a piano will materialize in your life!” She told us that when her kids were growing up they had multiple pianos in their house, including some in the children’s bedrooms. After hearing this from Bonnie, I decided to put it to the test. I told the family that we should start praying for a piano, so in our daily family prayers we started to ask Heavenly Father for a piano. This went on for about a week. The next Sunday I was in our Church meetinghouse in a priesthood class, when one of the men raised his hand and said, “Does anyone need a piano? Sister So-and-So has an old piano that she wants to give away to a good home." I looked around the room and no one was raising their hand. My hand shot up—it was an answer to prayer, just as Bonnie had promised. Within a few years we had four pianos in our house! A used studio grand in our living/music room, and three pianos in our large family room, including the one that came in answer to prayer. PRIVATE HOME CONCERTS: During the years our children were studying with Bonnie, I made it a regular habit of requesting private concerts from the kids in our home. We had the grand piano in a room with double doors that closed, and I used to go lay on the couch and request specific numbers from my children. This became one of the joys of my life—to hear great music from the musical masters of history played by my own flesh and blood in my own home. To this day, when our children come to visit, I request private concerts from them. It's one of the privileges of fatherhood—and grandfatherhood—and a continuing legacy from the example of Bonnie Winterton. BONNIE’S RETIREMENT CONCERT: When Bonnie retired from teaching at the University of Utah a special benefit concert was put on in her honor in Kingsbury Hall. We attended with our children and it was one of the most inspiring hours of my life. Numerous faculty members, and current and former students of Bonnie’s performed, all of whom had been touched by her life and example. Most impressive to me was a retired medical doctor who had decided to take up piano in his retirement and was studying with Bonnie. He played magnificently, and I thought, “I ought to do that—I ought to study piano!” So I began lessons from my daughter, Jenny, who had taken from Bonnie. Though I have never attained more than a basic facility, to this day I enjoy playing the piano a little every day—on the grand piano we acquired at Bonnie’s suggestion. Thus, I am personally grateful for Bonnie’s example as a piano teacher, for it is still blessing my life. God bless the memory of this great lady!"

-Dan Gibbons, parent

"When I came to take lessons from Bonnie I knew how to play piano, but what I didn’t understand quite yet was what it meant to create music. Bonnie taught me that in the most beautiful loving way. The happiness she felt in life (both in music and otherwise) literally spilled out of her. I have so many memories (the m&ms from last Christmas at performance class, her cursive writing that will fill my music forever, something about passing the butter that was meant to teach me two against three, so many more) but what I’m left with the most as I reflect on her is a general feeling that life is beautiful, meant to be enjoyed and then finding your spark to share that joy with other people. She taught me that as much as she taught me music."

-Jaime Taylor Varner, piano student

"I remember Bonnie pushing my back very forcefully to show me how to push into the piano. I was actually shocked the first time she did it! She always had peanut M&Ms on her table and always gave creamies after performance classes and recitals. Bonnie was the most positive person. She loved God and said to pray always and give thanks. I knew that she loved me. She said that we would be friends forever, even in heaven. Bonnie believed in me and saw the good in me. She made me feel like the most important person in the world- I know she did that with everyone she came in contact with. She is simply wonderful. The world is a much better place because of her goodness. I miss her and love her!"

-Victoria Vincent Winward, piano student

"I will never forget Bonnie hitting my hands while we practiced. She’d try her best to knock me off the piano bench pushing my back so I would use my body while playing. I remember learning Moonlight Sonata and practicing the “slump” at the end of the song for half my lesson."

-Eric Vincent, piano student

"Bonnie was a go getter-Nothing stood in her way! I loved the story of how she purchased her first Steinway and never tired from hearing it. She LOVED everyone and made each person feel like they were the most important person in the world. She was soooooo extremely proud of her children and grand children and loved them very much. She had a strong testimony of the church and lived her life in accordance to the gospel principles. Bonnie was a CLASSY lady! She dressed like she was going out on the town for every piano lesson even though she stayed in her home. I’ll never forget her beautiful hanging flower basket each summer. It was enormous. I always asked what she fed her plant to make it so magnificent. Her reply-“nothing! I just water it”. She had the magic touch!! It must have been the piano music feeding the plant. 😄 The world needs more people like Bonnie!!!!"

-Patrice Vincent, parent

"I have so many memories in Bonnie's home: looking at the paintings, photos, and sayings on the wall while waiting for my sisters' lessons, writing "love notes" at class, eating creamies after recitals, playing my concertos with Bonnie on the other piano playing the orchestra part, and even watching the 24th of July parade with Vern. More than anything, I loved the way Bonnie made me feel: like I was the most important thing to her for those 45 minutes! She taught me just as much about life as she did about the piano. She always wanted to hear about what was going on in my life and give me pep talks when needed. She taught me that music is more than hitting the right notes. She never missed a concerto night. She wasn't afraid to gush and praise when I did well and give the kindest reprimands when I wasn't practicing as I should have. She taught me to have confidence and poise. She was like family."

-Liz Gibbons Bailey, piano student

"Bonnie was one of the most influential people in my life as I grew up. I first met her when I attended my older sisters' recitals. At the time I thought she was a sweet lady that dressed in fancy clothes. Once I started to take lessons from her, she became much more than that. I was always busy with homework and athletics at school and probably didn't practice as much as I should have. I knew that Bonnie knew when I hadn't practiced much during a week, but she always treated me with unconditional kindness and gave me encouragement to be better in music, but also in life. I knew that she loved me and she treated me like the most important person in each lesson. Some of my fondest memories include playing duets with her: being able to play with such a great pianist while stumbling through my part. She always was so proud and encouraging when we finished. I fondly remember walking up to her back door for the lesson, and leaving always feeling for uplifted and happier than when I arrived. In some ways, Bonnie was instrumental, no pun intended, in me connecting with my now wife, Laura. We made an early connection with music. Laura is a singer, and I'm a pianist. I'm now her accompanist for life, and I have Bonnie to thank, at least partially, for that. I love Bonnie like a member of my family, because that's how she made me feel. I can only imagine the number of lives she continues to bless in the next life."

-Josh Gibbons

"Bonnie Winterton was one of the most influential figures in my life! I was blessed to take piano lessons from her for over 8 years, from the time I was ten years old until after graduated from high school. My older sisters started taking lessons from her several years before I did. When the time came for me to meet with her to see if I was ready to take lessons from her as well, I remember feeling excited but also a little intimidated to take from such an amazing teacher and talented musician. I vividly remember the first time I walked into her studio as a new student. The anxiety and intimidation I had quickly faded with Bonnie’s welcoming presence. Her love for music was contagious. Over the next 8 years, this marvelous woman taught me so much, not only about music, but about life, kindness, service, positivity, the gospel, and the list goes on. Her home piano studio will always hold a sacred place in my mind. I felt at home as I walked through that side door ever Monday afternoon. I remember the quotes she had on her door that she would occasionally read to me at my lessons. Like, “you only have to practice on the days that you eat!”. I remember the beautiful art hanging in her studio and front room and walking over to one of the paintings with Bonnie to create an image in my mind of how to play the piece I was working on. I loved playing duets with Bonnie on her beautiful Steinway grand pianos. The way she played was magical and it gave my young teenage self so much confidence as I played with her. I will always cherish her handwritten notes in my music, with descriptive words that helped me feel the music. I can still hear her words of praise like “Wonderful!” in my head. And I still remember how I felt seeing Bonnie, in her always stylish outfit, waiting to congratulate me after my concerto night performance in high school, telling me to “be happy!”. Her presence and words there meant so much! I’m so grateful for this dear teacher of mine who will always be a part of me!"

-Abby Gibbons Shawcroft