In Memoriam: Clara Gajardo Guzmán—Her Musical Life And Legacy
In Memoriam: Clara Gajardo Guzmán—Her Musical Life And Legacy
Clara Gajardo was born in Chile, in 1934, and passed from this world on August 28, 2024. Clara grew up in the romantic coastal city of Valparaiso, very much the southern hemisphere’s San Francisco with its lifeblood harbor and mild climate, and antiquated ascensors (wooden cars on funicular railways) climbing its hills as the cable cars do the hills of its northern cousin. Clara’s fondest memories of her childhood were simple, the pleasure of fresh plums and her family. She suffered an early loss that was to take away her sense of security, when her sister and playmate was stricken at an early age by meningitis, rendering her sister a shell of her once joyous self. Clara always kept this hard lesson of life’s unpredictability in her heart, and it made her cling to her loved ones all the harder. She found her joy in the piano and accordion, and her natural talent and musicality shone as she became a master of both. She also learned English, well enough to teach it, and this would turn out to be not only useful in her career but in her personal life. She travelled with an accordion group in Chile, and at one of the stops on the tour, noticed a handsome young man, who it turned out was an Olympic team rower and budding engineer. But learning he had a girlfriend, it seemed unlike in her music, the timing was not there. But not long after, there was Mario Guzmán, taking her English class. They married not long after, and were blessed with two daughters, Viviana and two years later, Susanna.
Fate intervened again, and their idyll in Chile had to be exchanged for the unknown of life in the United States. Viviana was diagnosed with a severe disorder, bilateral hip dysplasia, or a lack of hip sockets. Mario and Clara, determined that the doctor’s prediction that Viviana would not walk would not be the last word, moved the family to California so she could have treatment at Stanford. Clara could not continue with her musical touring, but kept up her piano and accordion playing and instilled her love of music, particularly classical music, on her daughters. Viviana, unable to participate in any sport but swimming and often in body casts growing up, took to her instruction in music but tried the accordion, piano, clarinet, and finally—you guessed it—the flute. Mario and Clara proudly saw Viviana graduate Juilliard, play Carnegie Hall, and begin to fulfill her dream of travelling the world. Susana too took up music, playing violin, but unlike Viviana, she chose to take a different career path, becoming an architect, again making the family proud.
Clara’s life was touched with tragedy again when the love of her life was diagnosed with cancer. Clara was crushed to lose him at the relatively young age of 64. But Clara pressed on, and saw Viviana flourish in her career and play on stages around the world, and Co-Found The Flute View Magazine. She was also thrilled when Susana married and she and her husband Paul welcomed her granddaughter Anika, whose “Abu” got to see often in her early years. Nothing brought Clara more joy than spending time with Anika and with her daughters. She also continued her love affair with classical music, playing piano at her home and her accordion to show to school groups or on stage with Viviana. Christmas was also a good time to break out the accordion and launch into a rollicking medley of songs. The heavy accordion sang in her arms even as she fought against time’s efforts to slow her down.
Clara lived her life on her own terms as much as she could, and she took pleasure in hearing classical music, visiting with her daughters and their families, and in the memories of Mario, with whom she longed to be reunited. Always learning, always interested in seeing new things and in cultivating her garden and feeding her wild blue jays who came to request treats, Clara was an inspiration to her family and all who knew her. Her life was lived like a symphony, with ups and downs and passion throughout. Her daughters and now granddaughter and their lives are her legacy, and they will treasure their time with her and think of her reunited with Mario at last.
