Williamson: Thanks for the music, Mrs. Schumpert

Sheryl Borden’s oldest son, Rob, still went by Robbie when he was in elementary school and started taking piano lessons from Eunice Schumpert, Portales’ legendary piano and voice instructor.

“Robbie came home from a lesson one day,” Borden said, “and told me, ‘Mom, Miss Euney had such a pretty dress on today. Since she dresses up so nice, why doesn’t she get a job?’ He didn’t understand that teaching voice and piano was her job.”

link Betty Williamson

A bit of good news

Not only was that Mrs. Schumpert’s job 35 years ago when Rob Borden took his first lessons, but it has been her job for an impressive 70 years.

More than 1,000 Portales-area students have shared the bench with possibly one of the nicest humans to ever open a hymnal.

Mrs. Schumpert was honored Saturday at the 48th annual Friends of Music Pops Concert at Eastern New Mexico University, receiving a long and enthusiastic standing ovation from a music-loving crowd that included many of her former students (although, arguably, pretty much any gathering in Portales contains people who spent time in the Schumpert studio).

Attend any fine arts event in Portales, and you’re likely to see Eunice Schumpert, immaculately attired, hair perfectly coifed, a music-themed broach pinned to one shoulder. She always points proudly to her current or former students who are performing, and she’s generally the first to lead the applause.

At the age of 94, Mrs. Schumpert says — almost apologetically — that she teaches “only 12 or 13 students now,” down from the 50-60 who have filed through her home each week since 1945.

While she may be scaling back (no pun intended), her legacy continues as many of her students have gone on to become music educators. In fact, Kelli Stroud Morrison, who teaches band and choir for the Muleshoe schools, was slated to honor her first music teacher on Saturday, but ended up out of town playing piano for a wedding.

“So, in a small way, it’s your fault I couldn’t be here,” she told Mrs. Schumpert in comments prepared for that evening.

“You cannot talk about music in Portales without mentioning Eunice Schumpert,” according to Wayne Anderson, one of the music worship leaders at First Baptist Church in Portales, where Mrs. Schumpert played organ for 40 years, and where she’s still a member of the choir. “Anyone who has studied or worked with Eunice has been blessed and I count myself privileged to be in that number.”

Mrs. Schumpert’s secret for her longevity? Well, of course you guessed it. Without hesitation, she says, “Music.”

Her students concur. “There are so few things of true value left in this world,” Morrison wrote to her former teacher. “You opened our eyes to something so beautiful … something that makes life worth living. Thank you so much for your contribution to this little community that loves you, and thank you so much for your influence in our lives.”

Betty Williamson believes Eunice Schumpert might be Portales’ greatest treasure. You may reach her at [email protected]