In 1936, on summer vacation from college, she met the young, almost penniless Aaron Copland rehearsing a concert in Mexico City. He was staying in a small village, trying to adjust to undependable electricity and other rural challenges. It was all fine, he told Bernier. But he missed marmalade. The Sarah Lawrence sophomore immediately commandeered a boyfriend, got him to drive her to Copland’s cottage and presented the musician with cartons of the stuff. Thus began a lifelong friendship.
Just one of many absurdly charming anecdotes from this piece. Further reading. And a good lesson: “The main thing was that I was interested in them… it was just showing an intelligent interest. In them and their work.”
