Freeman Thomas “Tom” Bellamy says his mother’s life in music was inspirational, and that is why he is establishing the Jane Thomas Bellamy Scholarship Endowment in Music. The gift is intended to provide support for deserving students majoring in Piano or Organ at UNCG’s School of Music.
Jane Bellamy’s life in music began early when she started taking piano lessons at the age of five. She played the piano and organ at several Moravian churches in Winston-Salem, and she and her brother, Emory Bellamy, were popular duet partners in the area. When she graduated from Oldtown School, where she received the “most talented” senior superlative, she found her way to the School of Music at UNCG, then Woman’s College, where she majored in Piano; minored in Organ; and pursued a concentration in Music Education.
“UNCG was a real game changer for my mother,” says Tom Bellamy. “Her teachers and professors adored her. She practiced eight hours a day. She was selected to be an accompanist for recitals and programs. The School of Music gave her an environment to hone her craft and gain confidence and precision as a musician. She was becoming her own person and gaining independence. Her music allowed her to soar.”
After graduating in 1948, Jane Bellamy’s first job was as a music teacher at her alma mater Oldtown School:
“Her musical programs were legendary,” her son recalls. “She was a great mentor and teacher for young people, encouraging them to study, practice, and express themselves. Over the years, she taught hundreds of children how to play the piano. She loved the musician’s prayer. It reads, ‘Lord, let me share my gifts with others. Let me use my talents to glorify your name.’
“One of the best parts of the relationship between my mother and me was the musical part. Growing up, I sang in her cantatas; she picked solos for me; put together duet partners; and coached me for many musical theatre auditions. She accompanied my senior recital at Wake Forest University. Tom Bellamy lives in Atlanta now, where he has held church jobs as a staff singer.
“My mother was so happy and grateful that I had an opportunity to use my talent,” says Bellamy. “We would regularly share with each other what music we were working on. I remember fondly and cherish mostly our time together. As the ABBA song says, ‘Thank you for the music—for giving it to me.’ Music heals. Music lifts you to higher ground. Music was always there for my mother—to celebrate joyous times and to walk her through difficult times. No matter what we were going through, we always had a song to sing.
“Maya Angelou said, ‘a bird doesn’t sing because it has the answer. A bird sings because it has a song.’ As for me, my mother is a never-ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words, but I always remember the tune.”
Story by Terri W Relos
Photo provided by Tom Bellamy
