Toronto Star music writer John Terauds, who wrote about my autobiography in February, kindly put me on his list of reasons to be thankful this Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct. 11, for those who don’t know about our parallel universe of holidays). He called me a gift that keeps on giving, a compliment I’ve never received before—now if only my wife would read this…
“For me, Thanksgiving is about appreciating the gifts that keep on giving, like the apple orchards near Castleton or the soybean fields of southwestern Ontario. I’ve added Toronto composer Michael Colgrass to my mental scrapbook of special gifts this year. He has inspired me in many ways: physically, as a spry 77-year-old who can still stand on his head; intellectually, as someone who has never encountered a work obstacle that he couldn’t surmount or knock down in some way; creatively, as a tireless crusader in connecting children and teens with the power and beauty of creating and making music; and emotionally, in how his twinkling eyes continue to embrace the world with earnest curiosity. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that this Colgrass dude sounds too good to be true, so I urge you to experience him for yourself. I’d heard his music before, but my true initiation came from his engrossing year-old memoir,Michael Colgrass: Adventures of an American Composer (Meredith Music). Also, check out his not-so-everyday blog posts, at www.colgrassadventures.com.”
John Terauds