Studio Matriarch passes away at 85.
Posted: July 21, 2011
The Matriarch and founder of the Cingolani Academy (formerly known as Lindy’s School of Music passes away.
Gerlinde Baumgarten (“Mrs. Lindy”) died peacefully surrounded by family and friends at Royal Victoria Hospital on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at the age of 85.
Beloved mother of Ingrid and husband Derni, Ernst and wife Alexis; Loving grandmother to Renée (Darryn), Erin (Thai), Tyson, and Keir; and dear friend to Maria, Faithe, Marcel and Liliane, and second mother to Lydia (Ralph).
Lindy will be sorely missed. A pillar to the Canadian and American music scene, she emigrated to Canada from Germany in 1955. Lindy was a strong woman and as a single mother of two, she supported herself and children by renting rooms and teaching accordion at the Mundinger School of Music. As the demand for classes grew, she founded her own accordion studio, “Lindy’s School of Music”. She traveled to Midland, Owen Sound, Orillia, and Barrie to teach and touched many lives both young and old, instilling a passion for her craft in students and family. Her selfless contributions to the music community resulted in the expansion and development of music festivals, competitions, and an appointment to president of the Canadian Accordion Teachers Association. She moved on to New York in 1978 and collaborated with Faithe Deffner (past-president of the American Accordionists Association) to found the “Keyboard Studies Centre”. Mrs Lindy (as she was fondly called) worked closely with Faithe to help develop outstanding accordion students and brought national and international attention to the studio taking multiple top honors at competitions throughout the world.
Upon her retirement and return to Canada, she continued to inspire the same love for music that she passed to her children, on to her grandchildren. Lindy was never more proud when watching one of them perform at a competition, recital, theatre show, or concert. She also led and accompanied the German Black Forest Singers who would travel around Simcoe County performing at local events.
Lindy was a caring, generous and giving soul and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
There will be a private celebration of life for family, however messages of condolence may be forwarded through www.marshalldrivercremationandburialservice.com.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made in Lindy’s memory to the following organization: http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3479069/k.1A2C/Donate_to_the_Heart_and_Stroke_Foundation.htm
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