A Lesson To Remember
Written by Sherry Shieh
It was the summer of 2002, and I was sitting in Colby College's chapel listening to the seventy-three-year-old Anthony di Bonaventura* conducting his piano master class. Within a month's time I would be studying under him as his youngest Doctoral student and one of the only five pianists who were accepted by him at the Boston University. I was both excited and proud to have been chosen by Professor di Bonaventura, realizing his international prestige as one of the greatest piano masters in our time and his impossible musical standards.
"Today I want to tell you a personal story." The class was all-eared. We knew nothing except words of wisdom was going to come out of the Maestro's mouth. Indeed, it was a story I would never forget- the personal struggle of a young man in pursuit of music and its ultimate beauty.
When Anthony di Bonaventura was thirteen, already a music prodigy playing with the New York Philharmonic and other first-class orchestras in the world, he knew he had everything going for him- brilliant techniques as well as a mature artistry were launching him an international performing career at a very early stage of his life. At sixteen, Anthony was introduced and urged to study with the world-renowned teacher Mme. Isabelle Vengerova, whose disciples then included Leonard Bernstein, Sydney Foster, Gary Graffman, and other leading musicians of the twentieth century. The arrogant young Anthony thought he would just need to do some polishing up with Madame and then he would be ready for the world stage again in no time. But Anthony was completely wrong. This small but stern lady changed his life forever.
In the first lesson Madame told Anthony flat out that everything he had been doing in his life about piano playing was all wrong; there was only one true way to play the instrument as it should be played, and she was going to teach him that. Before Anthony could recover from this shocking news, Mme. Vengerova told him another: "Stop playing the piano altogether for two years. One must forget about the past before he can start learning new things." So, in the following months, the poor young man worked endlessly on fingers, muscles, body positions -everything except the piano. The piano lid was closed forever and there was no more Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, or Chopin to show off his virtuosic playing and woe audiences. It was perhaps the darkest period of his life because no one (including Anthony himself) could understand how he could have gone from playing with the world's leading orchestras in the finest concert halls to a nobody who did not know a thing about the piano. But Anthony was determined to pursue the utmost perfection and beauty in music, and he realized Madame was the one person who could give him answers to the truth. Fortunately, within a year Anthony progressed so well that he was granted to play the piano again. Exhilarated, he received his first piano piece in months: a C major scale.
Anthony toiled on the instrument for hours a day just to perfect these seven notes on the keyboard. He spent days, weeks, and months practicing the simple C major scale with painstaking effort. By this time Anthony had transformed from a prideful and self-centered pianist to a very humble and insecure young man. Intimidated by the sight of Mme. Vengerova as always, Anthony one day walked into her studio head-low and sat at the piano. Mme Vengerova was sitting far from the piano, but he could feel the sharp beams projecting from her eyes. "Now play."
So, the moment of truth had finally come. Anthony played the C major scale with his entire life, followed by a long pause in the room. It seemed like decades before Madame finally broke the silence: "ALL WRONG. This is all wrong. You cannot play the piano. You simply do not know how." Every word stabbed him so hard in the heart. Anthony could not believe his ears. After having had so many mental struggles and self-doubts, and spent months working so hard on a stupid scale, this was what Madame could tell him? He felt he was sentenced to death, because the only thing he ever wanted to do in life was to play the piano, yet the authoritative master had judged him unfit for the instrument.
That night, standing on the platform of the Philadelphia station waiting for his train back to New York, Anthony seriously thought of jumping down and throwing himself at the train. He was too devastated to see any hope in his future. What was the meaning of his life if he were deprived of the only thing he loved?
At this point in the story, I found myself lost in deep contemplation. Professor di Bonaventura did not have to finish the story to let us know the meaning of it. At the beginning of his studies with Madame and completely unaware of his own ignorance, Anthony thought he was already on the summit of the mountain. Only having had met yet another great master did he realize how far off he was from the making of a great musician. Madame's harsh teaching methods forced Anthony to understand that being just satisfied and proud of his current achievement would actually cripple his musical ability to strive near perfection, although at the same time it almost discouraged him from laying his hands on the piano again. Fortunately, Anthony captured Madame's true intention and went on with his persistent efforts and gifts, or we would be at a great loss of a true master like him.
It is indeed amazing to know how much will and courage it takes for one to give up and forget everything he has ever had in order to pursue the ideal realm. Every master we see playing on stage had gone through similar pains and struggles as Anthony di Bonaventura. They either had to give up or lost many precious things in life to become the great artists they are now. I was deeply inspired by this story because in my life and all around me I was fortunate to witness great musicians devoting their entire lives on just doing one thing right- to find the closest possible point to music perfection, and to transform its ultimate beauty to the meaning of life. It is such a strong faith that you can feel even from the air around these people; they are so uncompromisingly determined to find the truth, that they are willing to dedicate a whole lifetime to it- and to me, that is simply incredible.
"Courage, Sherry. And have faith." -This became a motto from Professor di Bonaventura in my lessons, as I was experiencing the same struggles in the year studying with him. And like how Mme. Vengerova had changed him, I felt the one year studying with di Bonaventura changed my whole being before and after. I do not think I can ever find this kind of teacher again, but of course, that will be another story to tell
~ 2004.02.27
Anthony Di Bonaventura is one of that band prodigies whose later life fulfilled the early high hopes and expectations. Born in 1929 and made his New York Philharmonic debut at 13, di Bonaventura later studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and was a student of Madame Isabelle Vengerova. One of the most eminent pianists of his time, di Bonaventura has performed in 27 countries to superlative critical acclaim. There is hardly a first-rate orchestra and conductor that had not invited him to appear, no continent that had not vied for his presence in its concert halls, including appearances with London Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony. Notable performances including recitals Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Concertgebouw, and Musikverein. At international festivals: Spoleto, Ann Arbor, Saratoga, Bergen, Lucca, Zagreb, and Donaueschingen. Di Bonaventura world- premiered of specially written works by Berio, Kelemen, Persichetti, and Ginastera. His recordings include Columbia, RCA Connoisseur Society, and Sine Qua Non. Di Bonaventura was featured in the Great Performances Series at New York's Lincoln Center. In May 1992, he was awarded the Metcalf Cup and Prize for Excellence, Boston University's highest award for excellence in teaching.
Di Bonaventura was Distinguished Professor of Music and Chair of the Piano Department at Boston University, di Bonaventura has received praise for his recordings, which include Fourteen Scarlatti Sonatas, Rachmaninoff's Preludes, Op. 32 and selected works of Chopin, all appearing on the Titanic label. He passed away on his 83rd birthday in 2012.