WOW! Women On Writing Blog: Sarah-Beth Goncarova

By Sarah Beth Goncarova

We talk today with Sonia Korn-Grimani, celebrated singer and author. Her memoir Sonia’s Song, about her childhood in Germany and Belgium just before and during World War II, has been recently published in English by Clay Grouse Press, and Sonia has also just released a beautiful album called Chansons de ma Vie, which features over twenty recordings of her songs from throughout her long and celebrated career.

Sarah Beth: Sonia, thank you for talking with us today. In your book, you describe the first time going to church and singing the Latin mass. Was that the first time you sang at all?

Sonia: As a child, I sang German Lieder with my mother, and we sang Brahms’ Lullaby, as well as Schubert's Serenade and his beautiful Ave Maria. My mother had a lovely mezzo soprano voice. She always said: "Music is the food for the soul.” Later on, after we had been smuggled out of Germany, and I was hiding in the Catholic orphanage, I sang the daily mass every morning with the orphan choir.

Sarah Beth: How did singing help you get through all the losses that you were experiencing at the time?

Sonia: When I was living at the orphanage, I found it very hard being separated from my parents, and was finding it difficult pretending to be someone I wasn’t, having to let go of my old identity. But I was fortunate, because I had the chance to sing every day. I could lose myself in the beauty of the music of singing the mass, and I felt like I could reach God through my song, and ask Him for mercy for my people. I know it seems like a silly thing to think, but at that time, it made me feel strong and powerful, at least as much as any 11 year-old girl could feel in a world spinning out of control.

Sarah Beth: And then after the war, did you continue to sing?

Sonia: After the war I attended the Brussels Conservatory for piano and singing lessons. I felt enormous support from my teachers and peers. Although I was very shy, I sang wherever I could. After we moved to Australia, I enrolled in Melbourne University Conservatory for singing and piano. I threw myself in studying music. I wanted to give back to the world with my song. I wanted give joy to people, the same joy that music gave me.

Sarah Beth: With all the disruptions and upheavals from moving halfway across the world and starting over, it was almost like music was the one constant in your life.

Sonia: It was, most definitely.

Sarah Beth: Shortly after you moved to Melbourne, you got a job presenting the news live, in French, on Australian Broadcasting’s “Radio Australie.” When did you first start to sing on radio?

Sonia: In 1953, I successfully passed an audition for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, to sing on their program "Young Australians Sing." It went so well, I became a regular on the show.

Sarah Beth: Were you nervous singing live on radio and later on television and in concerts?

Sonia: Yes, as I was so shy, I suffered from tremendous stage fright quite a bit before each and every performance. My fiancé, John, later my husband of 56 years, encouraged me a lot, as did my devoted mother. They were my support system.

Sarah Beth: What do you think your life experience has brought to your music, and conversely, what has your love for music brought to your life?

Sonia: I feel a profound love of music, and it has filled my life with incredible beauty, all of which I want to share back with the world.

This interview is part of a very special event on The Muffin—Everybody is Talking About Finding the Music in Life. We are celebrating the release of Sonia’s Song, a memoir by Sonia Korn-Grimani (Clay Grouse Press, March 5, 2012). Visit the participating blogs for a chance to win a copy of Sonia’s Song.

After the war, Sonia studied music at conservatories in Brussels, Belgium, and in Melbourne, Australia, and at 17, she became the youngest broadcaster on Australian Radio. Soon she began to sing live on the radio and on television, and quickly became an international sensation. She sang to the delight of audiences throughout the world on her weekly live radio and television programs in Australia and Malaysia during the 1950s-1960s.

Off the stage, Sonia became a champion of women’s rights, a French tutor to a queen and two prime ministers, and was named Chevalier and Officier by the French Government for her contributions to French culture.

To learn more about Sonia's remarkable story or to hear samples of her beautiful songs, please visit:
http://soniassong.claygrouse.com/
http://claygrouse.com/sonias_song/recordings.html

3 comments Everybody is Talking About Finding the Music in Life, Sarah-Beth Goncarova, Sonia Korn-Grimani, Sonia's Song

& giveaway contest!

In her memoir Sonia’s Song, seven-year-old Sonia takes us along on her journey as she and her family out-run Nazis, adopt false identities, and survive one of the darkest periods in history.

In 1939 Sonia’s family faced a grim option—run away or be rounded up. They ran. The family kept in the shadows, fleeing and hiding from persecution. In 1942 Sonia’s parents placed Sonia and her brother in an orphanage with more than 20 other Jewish children all disguised as Catholic orphans. Conditions were harsh and the children nearly starved.

Sonia lost her childhood but gained strength and a perspective that not only sustained her through the war but gave her a message to carry out into the world. Her message is of hope, compassion, and belief in oneself.

Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: Clay Grouse Press (March 2012)
ISBN-10: 0984555838
ISBN-13: 978-0984555833
Twitter hashtag: #SoniaSong

Sonia’s Song is available in paperback and e-format at Amazon.

"In Sonia's Song, Korn-Grimani grants future generations the opportunity to experience a personal connection with history... people will be able to see a face, hear a voice, and observe a life." - Steven Spielberg

"Korn-Grimani describes not only the suffering she had to endure, but how she succeeded in overcoming it...I am sure that Sonia's Song will touch the hearts of many readers." - Elie Wiesel

Prize Giveaway Contests: To win a signed copy of Sonia’s Song PLUS Sonia’s CD, Chansons de ma Vie, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes this Friday, October 5 at 12:01 AM EST. We will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

In the video slideshow below, Sonia sings Tunas Kaseh from her album.

About the Author:

In postwar world, the few survivors of Sonia's family were refused citizenship status, and told that they must leave the country. Sonia immigrated to Australia where she worked in radio, television, and in film, making full use of both her linguistic and her musical talents. She organized interpreting and translating services for the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, began to travel the world, translating for the United Nations in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Sonia’s television and radio programs made her a sensation, and by the 1960s, she was called upon by the Queen of Malaysia to tutor her in French. While French tutor to the Queen of Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, Sonia continued to appear regularly on television and radio, singing, edifying viewers on classical music and speaking on women’s rights.

Sonia Korn-Grimani earned her doctorate in French literature and the teaching of foreign languages, and directed a multi-cultural language program at UNESCO. With her husband John, and their children Anthony and Renee, Sonia traveled and lived all over the world. She taught foreign languages at the university level, and performed frequently to the delight of audiences worldwide. In her album Cantos al Amor, Sonia sings in 16 languages.

Sonia continues to sing regularly at UNESCO events in France, and is also frequently invited to share her Holocaust experiences as a guest speaker in high schools, universities, synagogues and churches.

Find the Author Online:

To learn more about Sonia's remarkable story or to hear samples of her beautiful songs, please visit:

http://soniassong.claygrouse.com/

http://claygrouse.com/sonias_song/recordings.html

------Interview by Robyn Chausse

With us today are Sonia Korn-Grimani, author of Sonia’s Song, and her editor from Clay Grouse Press, Sarah Beth Goncarova.

WOW: Hello ladies, welcome to The Muffin! We are so pleased to share Sonia’s Song with our audience today.

Sonia, in Sonia’s Song you share your experiences as a Jewish child during WWII and the difficulties and trauma you and your family faced. What prompted you to finally write your story?

Sonia: I wrote this book for two reasons: I needed to free myself of the pain I had for so many years from losing my family who were killed under the Nazi regime; and also I needed to show my children and grandchildren what we went through, and how important it is to never forget this terrible dark period of history.

WOW: You tell your story through the eyes of your younger self; what were the benefits to that as a writer?

Sonia: Because by writing it in the present tense, it was much more vivid and not so distant.

Sarah Beth: We wanted the reader to feel like they are there with Sonia, sharing her experiences, seeing what she saw. One of the many things I love about the book is that the reader grows along with Sonia as she matures.

WOW: I was both pleased and surprised by the grace with which you tell your story. I’m certain that in writing this memoir you revisited some difficult emotions—how did you work through them to write from a balanced perspective?

Sonia: With difficulty. To find a balanced perspective I had to find a peaceful corner. Curiously enough I found it during my long rides on the Parisian Metro amidst all the strangers who paid no attention to me. I took out my notebook, I closed my eyes for a few minutes, meditated, then I let my pen frantically fill up the pages with my memories. I often missed the Metro stop of my final destination, but it did not matter so absorbed I was by my inspiration.

WOW: Sarah Beth, you and your husband have been very “hands-on” promoting Sonia. Would you share with us your experience publishing Sonia’s Song?

Sarah Beth: It has definitely been a labor of love. We spent a year in the editing process alone, including conducting close to 30 hours of interviews drawing out some of the memories that Sonia hadn’t really talked about in the German and French versions of the memoir. But we spent such a long time on this part because we wanted Sonia’s remarkable story to really shine.

Promoting the book has also been a challenge, but well worth the struggle. We’re learning as we’re going. We’ve been trying to be as creative as possible in promoting her work, by creating YouTube videos with her music and old photos, and by recording Sonia reading several chapters from the book, which we are releasing by chapter on YouTube. We’ve also created a CD, Chansons de ma Vie, which is a beautiful collection of over 20 of her songs, all digitally re-mastered. The music, which is so important to the story, adds a whole new dimension to the experience of reading the book.

WOW: The music really is wonderful. Sonia, would you like to tell us a little bit about the songs on this album and what they mean to you?

Sonia: They are mainly popular songs from the fifties and the sixties. As I traveled all over the world, I chose songs that were emotionally and romantically appealing to me from every country I visited.

WOW: I would be interested in reading about your life after the war. Are there any further books or music releases planned?

Sonia: I wish to let a little time go by before tackling another book. About music releases, I do not know, the future will tell.

WOW: Sonia, if you had one message to offer to our readers today, what would it be?

Sonia: To never lose hope, even in the face of adversity. Believe in yourself and in your dreams. Never lose faith in yourself.

WOW: Beautiful. Thank you, ladies, for sharing your thoughts with us today.

Readers, below is a video of Sonia reading chapter one of Sonia’s Song. Be sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post and visit the blog stops for more chances to win. This is an incredible story and a powerful memoir you'll want to read.

---------Blog Tour Dates

October 2 @ Meryl’s Notes Blog
Sonia Korn-Grimani, author of Sonia’s Song, shares her thoughts on living life to its fullest! Enter to win a signed copy of Sonia’s memoir.
http://www.meryl.net/section/blog/

October 4 @ CMash Loves to Read
She lost her childhood and many members of her family during WWII. Join us for a guest post from Sonia Korn-Grimani on the power of love and forgiveness. Enter to win a signed copy of Sonia’s Song!
http://cmashlovestoread.com/

October 8 @ Lisa M. Buske
An inside look! Sarah Beth Goncarova and Yary Hluchan, the two editors of Sonia’s Song, share their thoughts and favorite passages.
http://www.lisambuske.com/blog.html

October 9 @ All Things Jill-Elizabeth
Sonia Korn-Grimani wrote Sonia’s Song from the memories of her seven-year-old self. Today she shares the challenges of writing an adult book from a child’s point of view.
http://www.jill-elizabeth.com/

October 10 @ Thoughts in Progress
Sarah Beth Goncarova and Yary Hluchan, editors of Sonia’s Song by Sonia Korn-Gimani, share more of their favorite scenes. Enter to win a downloadable gift bag consisting of an ecopy of Sonia’s Song and her music CD.
http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com/

October 11 @ The Muffin
Join us for a mass-blogging party! Bloggers everywhere will be joining us for a symphony of positive stories and uplifting content today as we explore the topic of Finding the Music in Life. Enter to win a copy of Sonia's Song!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

October 16 @ Book Talk with Barbara Barth
Author Barbara Barth shares her review of Sonia’s Song by Sonia Korn-Grimani.
http://barbarabarthbookblog.blogspot.com/

October 17 @ All Things Audry
Sonia Korn-Grimani survived the Holocaust and became an internationally renowned singer! Today she shares her thoughts on the power of determination and positive thinking.
http://www.allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/

October 18 @ Thoughts in Progress
Join Mason Canyon for a review of Sonia’s Song and a giveaway! Enter to win a downloadable gift basket which includes an ecopy of Sonia’s Song and a download of her wonderful album, Chansons de ma Vie.
http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com/

October 19 @ Books, Books, the Magical Fruit
Is it haunting? Is it magical? Come enjoy this review of Sonia’s Song and enter to win a giftbag which includes an ecopy of this poignant memoir and a selection of love songs from around the world.
http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com/

October 22 @ Read These Books and Use Them
Join us for a post about the importance of believing in yourself by Sonia Korn-Grimani. Enter to win a signed copy of Sonia’s Song!
http://margodill.com/blog/

October 23 @ A Slice of Life
Thinking of writing a memoir? Join us as Sonia Korn-Grimani talks about turning memories into story! Enter to win a downloadable gift bag of story and song.
http://lindahoye.com

October 25 @ Read These Books and Use Them
Does Sonia’s Song pass the test? Editor and Author Margo Dill shares her review!
http://margodill.com/blog/

October 26 @ Empty Nest
Come enjoy a reader’s review of Sonia’s Song and enter to win a gift bag of story and music!
http://www.emptynest1.com/

To view all our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar here. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter @WOWBlogTour.

Get Involved!
If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.

Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a signed copy of Sonia’s Song ($19.95) and her CD, Chansons de ma Vie ($12.99)! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget this Friday, October 5.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!