I love to watch the roses that bloom in front of my kitchen window as they come into green bud, then stretch into their colors, begin to peek out toward the sun, and little by little open, open wider, slowly surrendering into their full flowering beauty.
Watching my friend Milla Milojkovic sing last night at the Croation American Cultural Center, this was the image that came into my mind. Her voice was rich and velvety, like the petals of a deep red rose, relaxed and with a fully opened throat that seemed to glide effortlessly wherever she willed, offering little thrills and surprises at every turn, infinitely simple and interesting at the same time. What a gift!
I vividly remember first meeting Milla back in 1999 when I came to her graduation recital at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, as a guest of her sister who was dating my older son at the time. Even then, her poise and presence onstage were impressive. When I heard she was looking for office work in order to make a living after graduation, we hired her at OMIX, Inc. (the Internet company my husband and I were running at the time), in accordance with our philosophy of hiring the person and training the skills. She was very bright and eager, and soon became a valuable contributor.
On break or sometimes at the end of the day, Milla would go into her office, close the door, and practice her operatic scales, which was a source of happiness for me. She made our office feel like an art school dorm, resonant with freely expressive, creative energy. Sometimes it was a little hard to concentrate, I’ll admit. But well worth the sense of joy.
Over the years, Milla has developed as a singer of jazz and of music from her Yugoslav heritage, and I’ve seen her perform from time to time. The friendship we began when she worked for me has flowered too over the years, into a deep and abiding connection of the sort that I expect to keep as long as I live. I appreciate her insightful, inquisitive mind and ready sense of humor, her passionate Slavic nature, and above all her commitment to living her values.
Seeing her onstage last night, so elegant and beautiful, was such a pleasure. Now in her 30’s, Milla reminded me of a softly textured, exquisitely formed rose in richly varied, complex hues of wine red, sharing her gift with such compelling ease and integrity, speaking between songs with so much loving grace, manifest in her full flowering form. What a soulful delight.