Undoubtedly, my heart is shattered. I am at a loss for words to adequately convey the anguish I feel in response to this message. The passing of my dearest friend, backbone, and singing teacher, Janette Gould, took place in a calm and quiet manner at Kareena Hospital today at 11:57 a.m. From the time I was nine years old, Mrs. Gould began instructing me.
There were a lot of singing teachers that I went through at that time, and every single one of them told me that I would never be successful and that I am not psychologically capable of taking on musical instruction. My late grandfather Bruno never gave up on me until I found the proper teacher who would show me the way to success and, most importantly, help me progress as a singer and performer. He never gave up on me until I got the right teacher.
Having the opportunity to meet Mrs. Gould for the very first time is a memory that I will always treasure and remember. She turned her gaze to my grandfather and asked, “Bruno, would you like me to begin your grandson from scratch?” He responded with a resounding “YES.” She gave me a performance of “The Prayer” on the piano, and after I had finished the song, she told me these words: “Vinnie, when I am finished with you as a teacher, people will know who you are and will always remember your name.
The next “Mario Lanza” was what she referred to me as. When I was a student, I had plenty of challenges when it came to learning, but she never gave up on me. Each and every time she instructed me, she was by my side one hundred percent. Every time we were together, she would insist that the movie “The King’s Speech” was based on us. Despite the fact that she believed I had a temper like King Goerge the Sixth, I always managed to pull through in the end.
To tell you the truth, I have no idea how I will be able to deal with the passing of my instructor. During the time that Mrs. Gould was still living, I had the certainty that she would always be there to catch me if I fell. This has definitely left a fright inside of me that will take a very long time to heal, but the anguish that I feel from losing my grandfather is something that I can’t even begin to articulate.
I will never forget you, Mrs. Gould, the times we laughed together, the times we spent together, and most importantly, the respect and loyalty that we had for one another. As of right now, I am aware that you are no longer experiencing any discomfort, and that you have joined your lovely husband Max. Farewell, Mrs. Gould. You will never be replaced by anybody else.
