I was very saddened when I received word this past summer that our dear pianist-friend Peter Moll had passed away. He had battled a rare form of cancer. The news came from Masami Kojima, his wife of 40 years.
I met Peter at a mutual friend’s afternoon musical get-together where Peter convincingly played the finale. I was mesmerized. Over the years, I saw Peter at piano events unrelated to AMSF. He was the person who got me to join AMSF!
Peter was a talented pianist who, I believe, started the piano well into his adult life. He had a demanding career as an economist at the World Bank, yet he made time for his music, practicing two hours each night.
I was briefly in touch with Peter this past spring because I was curious if he, at some point, wanted to author an article for this very column, Beyond AMSF, which features AMSF members and their musical contributions outside our organization. I knew Peter not only for his musical skills, but also for his love of supporting musicians.
During the pandemic, when it was a challenge for musicians to earn a living, Peter hosted events at his house inviting professional musicians to perform for a limited number of audiences willing to pay a small fee. I remember attending one such event where a violinist and a violist performed, the violinist being Joshua Bell’s former roommate in college and the violist a Yale graduate. How the event lifted our spirits even as our smiles were hidden under our masks! Many audience members seemed to be strangers, but Peter was generous enough to have music-loving strangers in his home.
Peter also opened his home to traveling pianists who needed a place to practice or give lessons during the day when he was at work. He had two excellent 7’4” grand pianos – a bright sounding Bosendorfer and a mellow Kawai – side-by-side in his downstairs soundproofed music room. While he personally knew some of these professional musicians, some were strangers. Imagine that kind of hospitality!
Even in Peter’s passing, we see his kindness towards musicians of talent. In lieu of flowers, Peter requests that those who wish to honor his memory might want to consider contributing to Bel Cantanti Opera, a highly innovative opera company that Peter and his wife had been supporting for decades. Bel Cantanti Opera, which operates on a miniscule budget, promotes singers embarking on their careers, so even the humblest donations go a long way.
Many at AMSF remember Peter for playing duets and duos with Hala Tomey in 2016 and 2017. According to Hala, Peter’s disciplined approach to practice helped push the quality of their performances. Peter also played chamber music with Allan Reiter, who fondly remembers playing Leonard Berstein’s Bridal Suite with Peter at a casual recital of friends at Peter’s house. It goes without saying, Peter participated in and hosted AMSF events, including a Duetto Recital at his home in 2017.
Peter was South African. Yet few AMSF members probably knew that, as he was a very private person. Even his duet partner, Hala, did not discover that until a year after they had started playing together.
I am sure Peter made important contributions, having made his career at the World Bank. But my guess is that he probably would not have considered any of them his legacy of consequence. Unknown to perhaps all of us at AMSF, Peter was a conscientious objector to the Apartheid Army. He was incarcerated for his courageous stand in his youth, sentenced to 18 months in prison, later reduced to a year. His plight caught the attention of journalists from the world over, other South African anti-apartheid activists (such as Desmon Tutu), and spread throughout, helping change South Africa’s Apartheid law. Peter published his personal and historical account in his book, The Conscientious Objector to the Apartheid Army, shortly before his passing. Truly, Peter helped make this world a better place.
A memorial service will be conducted in Houston, TX, where Peter’s relatives live, on November 16th, 2024. Should you be so inclined, please feel free to send Masami Kojima, his widow, your thoughts and prayers via email at mkojima@worldbank.org, or a contribution to Bel Cantati Opera on their website, belcantanti.com.
