“My Most Meaningful Mentor,” by Jack Senzig

MY MOST MEANINGFUL MENTOR, by Jack Senzig

 

       I met John W. Downey when I was a student at UWMilwaukee.  One day in class I was sitting in the front row next to the grand piano.   Dr. Downey played Debussy’s First Arabesque.   It was the most beautiful piece of music I had ever heard.   With unbidden tears abundantly rolling down my cheeks I asked him if he would play it again.   He smiled and in his soft breathy voice said “Why certainly” and repeated the performance.   

       John saw in me a gift for writing melody.  He encouraged me and guided me in composition lessons to expand my childish palate and to help me grow as a musician and as a man.  I had begun composing a vocal piece with another teacher who had chided me to throw it away because it was, in her opinion, tonal garbage.  When I finally got to study with John he asked me what I had written.  All I had was several pages of my Psalm 13.  When he got done listening to it he beamed and said “That’s beautiful.” He made clear his sincerity and guided me to complete the work. 

       There were two things in particular that made the mentor/mentee relationship special.  He actually valued my opinion and he shared his life with me.  One time at a concert in his honor, I sat on one side of him and his wife on the other.  The piece was a setting of his spouse’s poem “A Dolphin.”  When the performance was finished he received plentiful applause from the audience but didn’t think to acknowledge the poet.  She was very upset with him.  I try hard to remember that situation every time I work with people who deserve recognition, not only in musical performances. 

       John sought and accepted my critique of his work in addition to giving copious critique of mine.  He wrote a set of pieces for the Chicago Children’s Choir. Our university choir director at the time did not perform much 20th century music.   When John asked him to give the pieces a read through he was turned down flat.  The stress he felt over the poor relationship with the director opened my eyes to professional relationships and has influenced my dealings with colleagues and students. 

       When I had a high school student who liked to critique me in front of the class, I remembered John Downey’s gentle example. I recognized the young man’s musicianship, choked down my ego and tried to mentor him.  I invited him to critique me every day after class and promised to consider his suggestions.  I valued his critique, some times changing my rehearsals and sometimes explaining why my approach was correct.  He started taking conducting lessons with me and chose and directed a piece for the choir to sing. He ended up getting a good scholarship to Luther in part because of the mentoring he received from me.  He is now a choral colleague and teaches at a university.

       I miss John Downey deeply.  I wish I could share the successes in my career but most came after his death.   It does make me happy to know that some of him is alive in me, and hopefully will be carried on by my children and my students.   

       Who was your mentor?  Tell us about him/her in the comments below!