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"A Thank you to Mr. Zander"
submitted: 1/31/2012 2:25 PM by: Anita I Dear Mr. Zander, I watched your video on Ted Talks about music and passion. Actually, I The story about how the boy confessed to you that after listening to Another thing that really improved my attitude was your story about how You can rest assured that now you have an additional member in the army of It's a great feeling waking up and asking who can I be so that the Your philosophy is contagious, and I hope it spreads. Sincerely, Anita I Ben Zander
submitted: 1/26/2012 9:52 AM by: Dan Farber One of the many ironies attendant on the firing of Ben Zander by the NEC president came to me from reading the heart-breaking letters of his former students. Most seem utterly bereft, uncomprehending, devastated, in a state of shock. By not allowing Ben to complete the academic year, it is clear to me that NEC has, itself, performed an act of de facto child abuse. Obviously the children in question are gifted and resilient. They will get on with mostly very successful lives. Yet this experience will leave chards and holes and will never entirely go away. In successfully carrying out whatever vendetta he had against Ben, the collateral damage inflicted by the NEC president is no less than a maiming of souls. Whatever damage Ben did in failing to follow institutional protocol seems, by comparison, microscopic. Dan Farber Portsmouth, RI Dismay
submitted: 1/24/2012 5:28 PM by: Tim Doherty In 1974-1976 I was a member of what was then called the New England (Conservatory) Youth Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Ben Zander. Ben invited me, a high school student, to join following a private audition. I played trumpet. To this day I remember his exact words: "oh, a trumpet player who's also a musician." Ben's highly professional attitude, combined with his intense musicality, insight and ostensible love of music helped form my outlook on classical music in a most profound way, in turn forming my life, to this very day. Now, nearly 40 years later, I can only imagine how many lives of seriously young musicians and artistically minded students have been deeply influenced by Ben and, following suit, how far that influence has been spread. To hear that Ben has been sacked due to guilt by association, just for giving someone a chance is beyond me. Yes, sexual abuse is a serious issue. Believe me: I know. But is this the consequence? Can it be? When I hear "resign or be fired," centuries of history run through my mind. NEC: J'accuse! I will miss you always!
submitted: 1/24/2012 3:36 PM by: Njeri Grevious Hello Mr. Zander, It is not an easy situation for all of us, and I am sorry that this is what things came to. But know that no matter what happens, you can say that you have truly changed thousands of lives--young kid's lives. Like mine. YOU changed my life. I will never forget that. I cried so hard when the night Mr. Woodcock told us, the YPO, that you would be leaving us. Even at the concert on Jan. 20th, when we played that part of the 2nd movement in the Beethoven's 5th, the "Spanish dance", I felt hot tears in my eyes. NO ONE can conduct that passage or make there be so much life in it like you can. While playing it, I imagined you dancing on the podium in front of us, snapping your fingers, smiling and singing. Who wouldn't smile and feel a flood of happiness at a sight like that? You gave EVERYTHING so much life. I remember the first time I played with you...I was in YRO. Remember, years ago, when YRO played the Marriage of Figaro? You came in and, as always, you were smiling and singing along with the music. We had just finished a run through of the piece. And once we finished, you came up and told us that our playing was just not happy enough! You said "this is one of the happiest pieces ever written!! Come on!!" With that, you took the baton and started to conduct from the beginning. When we played that piece with you conducting, I felt this rush of energy and happiness and I could not stop smiling. You were beaming with joy, conducting it by memory and singing along! We sounded AMAZING! Afterwards, the entire audience of parents in Brown Hall broke out in huge applause. We did not sound anymore like a group of "kids" attempting to play Mozart. Instead, we were playing Mozart and giving it life! We sounded FANTASTIC! And it was YOU who helped us sound that way and inspired us all. So far, that memory has been the most inspiring experience of my life. After that, I knew that I had to get into YPO and grow under such a fantastic conductor. You showed me the life in music,something that I will never forget. Once I did get into YPO, I enjoyed every rehearsal, even those when you got upset at us. You inspire me every day, Mr. Zander. You inspire us all. You CANNOT leave us! You MUST come back! You filled each hall in NEC with life, you filled every bar of music with meaning and emotion, and you have inspired countless young musicians. It is so cold and lifeless without you at NEC. YPO cannot play with nearly half as much heart and soul without you conducting us. You have given me so much, Mr. Zander and I am ever thankful for that. I love you and I will always be thinking of you, Njeri K. Grevious The NEC
submitted: 1/22/2012 6:53 PM by: Robert Bekkers Dear benjamin, I hereby want you to know I am tremendously saddened by the recent news of the decision of NEC to let you go. I find the reasons not profound enough by any standard to justify such drastic measures and I do sincerely hope you will be invited back to bring your insight, lively spirit and words of insight back to us, your students! Sincerely, Robert Bekkers Latest news
submitted: 1/20/2012 1:41 PM by: Christina OShaughnessy You have been an inspiration for me as an editor/teacher, and I’ve applied many of your principles to my life. I do not for one moment believe that you could have acted in bad faith. You have 1,000% my moral support, and total appreciation. -Christina O'S Gosh - I've just been reading about what's happening
submitted: 1/17/2012 12:04 PM by: Stephen Dear Mr Zander I came across you with a lecture about "bright eyes" and the love of classical music - what a moving experience for me and even though it was "just" a film on the internet - it changed some fabulous things for me. I even introduced "one buttox playing" to an Australian bagpipe band. Oh you should have seen them when they got it. Having read your book and listened to your music I count myself as very fortunate to have stumbled across the knowing of you. To meet yo in person would be a delight ( I think :-) ) I can't grasp how yo must feel with the whole "professional death" by association though I found your letter important to read - thank you for it. Anyway - this is a note of support and rejoicing in the fabulousness you are and if you are ever heading to Oz the first beer is on me Cheers and all the best Stephen Harris Hello Ben and Roz: Congratulations and Thank You
submitted: 1/3/2012 8:17 PM by: solidgoldcreativity Dear Ben, I've just managed to tear myself away from yours and Roz's book, The Art of Possibility. I've read and read it. And I've written a series of blog posts about it. Perhaps you might care to read the final one, especially because I've written a "giving an A" letter to you. You can read it here: http://solidgoldcreativity.com/2012/01/01/possibility-part-6/ I have a dream that you and Roz come to Australia to do a series of masterclasses in Melbourne (where I live) and Sydney as part of a conversation I'm growing about leadership, and that I get to have the pleasure of organising it and making it happen, and having your ideas on possibility spread widely in this country. We need leaders of possibility here, as everywhere. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Yours in possibility, Narelle Hanratty aka Solid gold creativity, http://www.solidgoldcreativity.com) "Conducting Business"
submitted: 11/4/2011 8:12 PM by: lynn wehnes I have just seen "Conducting Business" and even though it's a bit late here in Spain, I want to thank you and let you know how moving i found it, and inspiring. What a wonderful message you are giving to the world! Thank you so much. Hello Mr. Zander!
submitted: 10/25/2011 8:25 PM by: Logan Hedgepath Mr. Zander, It is such an honor to be able to work with you and YPO. This is my second year with a full orchestra, and It has totally blown me out of the roof! I cannot thank you enough for all that you do, and for letting me be apart of the YPO experience! When my father came up this past weekend for the Walnut Hill Parents weekend, He did not know what to expect... He came last year to listen to my first concert with the Youth Symphony, but that was totally different! Ever since I have shown my father the youtube video's of your talks with T.E.D, you have truly inspired the both of us! Before I came to Walnut Hill, I never knew that music was this inspirational. I never knew how the true value of music could take control of a person's mind. But now i know! It is crazy to think how music is apart of my life. It takes control of me every single minute of the day! I dont even feel like a human being any longer, Mr. Zander. All I feel like is a big body filled with musical notes bouncing around trying to run it! I have never felt like this before, but it is a feeling that i would NEVER give up!! I could go on forever with this message, but I will try to restrain myself! Thank You so much for everything, Mr. Zander. I know that the next two years will be one of the best experiences of my life!! With Very Best Wishes, - Logan Alexander Hedgepath *DOUBLE BASS* Music and Passion
submitted: 10/4/2011 11:05 AM by: jennna Hello Mr. Zander, I just got done watching the Music and Passion video,and as an ADHD coach,I was sooo inspired by "I realized my job was to waking the possibility in other people,and of course I wanted to know whether I was doing that. And you know how you find out. You look at their eyes. If their eyes are shinning, you know you are doing it." I have actually seen one my clients shinning as you expressed, which has giving me the passion to know that there are other adults with adhd out there, who I can help them see their own possibility. Thank You... Take Care Jenna Knight opening up to the world
submitted: 4/6/2011 12:52 AM by: Chen Li Hi Professor Zander, I just had a two-hour furious discussion with my roommate about how we should smile to the people pass by like the 5-year old child who did to you. She thinks that the child-way will put us in danger because the child doesn't know whether the stranger is a good or bad person, thus putting her safety in jeopardy, and she thinks that we should always put up a wall in front of people we don't know because we shouldn't put ourselves in the presence of dangerous individuals. I don't know how to convince her "realistic" view of the world today. If you were me, what would you do/say? opening up to the world
submitted: 10/7/2011 9:02 PM by: Jeff Williams I just returned from the world business forum in New York where I was lucky to see Ben Zander speak. While we were walking back from the days event we found ourselves a little lost. We came upon a homeless guy who seemed at first sight to be the sort of person not to talk to after dark and my first thought was to keep walking. Before I could say anything my 77 year old Mother-in-law struck up a conversation without a second thought. It was a good thing that she did this. Not only was he freindly as could be he was kind, courtious and very helpful as well. He gave us directions to where we wanted to go and when we tried to offer him a couple of dollars for his efforts he refused saying that he was glad to help and even though we were dressed well he told us how to get a free ride on the bus. I think that our first impressions of people that are based solely on looks may not be truley justifiable. But at the same time I do think that the feelings that are involked by the presence of certain people should never be ignored. To an inspirational maestro
submitted: 3/30/2011 7:59 PM by: Jeremy Gonzalo I just want to put out there that after watching your videos, I was inspired to express myself even more than my teacher wants! Which comes to my main question, do you prefer more musicality over technicality, or in other words, soul over mechanics? Because my teacher asks me to control myself (because the music takes me over when I'm performing, and sometimes I rush but all the expression is there still), I always ask myself if I should just concentrate over the skeleton of my music rather than the meat, skin, all the things that make it sound like a performer, not a robot. What do you advise me to do? The Possibility of every being having their Music from their heart
submitted: 3/19/2011 11:41 PM by: Susan Patricia Golden The Possibility of every being having their Music from their heart creating a world of Peace. Love, Joy, Compassion and Justice. What will you be doing on the second Saturday of October, the 08 OCT 2011 for the 5th Annual UniversalMusicDay.com? the commentary on the Bruckner 5th recording
submitted: 2/27/2011 1:12 AM by: Ray Barnes Hello Maestro Zander, I believe in your commentary, you mentioned that this symphony was among a handful of masterpieces in its genre. I'm curious which other works are included in this list, whether composed by Bruckner or not. I enjoyed this album so much that I am purchasing the other releases with the Philharmonia, and can hardly wait to hear your thoughts on the Mahler 3rd and 9th in particular. Many thanks, Ray Barnes |
Over the years, I have engaged in a lively discourse with people in different parts of the world - students, colleagues, scholars and friends - exploring music, teaching, life, and just interesting stuff. In the old days these were mostly telephone conversations, often held very early in the morning to Europe or very late at night to the West Coast. More recently it has been through the medium of e-mail, that miraculous destroyer of hierarchy.
