Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T21:40:12.154Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
This chapter is part of a book that is no longer available to purchase from Cambridge Core

Appendix Four - Parisot's “Keynote Address” at Commencement at the Harid Conservatory, May 1994

Get access

Summary

Parisot gave the “Keynote Address” at the Harid Conservatory Commencement Exercises in Boca Raton, Florida, on 6 May 1994. He is listed as being on the “Board of Advisors.”

[Handwritten document, by Aldo Parisot, in the possession of Aldo Parisot]

Harid Commencement 1994

Class of 1994, Faculty and Friends,

I am honored to be here today as guest speaker at Harid Conservatory's commencement ceremony. But rather than give a formal commencement address, I would like to offer you something more like a talk about the joys as well as the trials of a career in music. In the language of today, I'd like to share with you the good news as well as the bad news.

Although English is not my native language—which I'm sure you never could have guessed—I discovered at a very early age that my real native language is music. And that wordless language has a power unmatched by any other. Those of us privileged to learn it are blessed, indeed, even though learning it presents an immense challenge that can be daunting, sometimes discouraging and occasionally even tedious. But becoming fluent—truly fluent—in this wonderful language can contribute to a life of uncommon happiness and fulfillment. It certainly has for me and I want nothing less for each of you.

Of course I am talking mainly about fluency as a “speaker” of the language, although listening with well-trained ears is ultimately almost as important. Ears that are quite unlike those of the legendary American General Ulysses S. Grant, who once bragged that he knew only two songs. “One,” he said, “ is Yankee Doodle, the other one isn't.” Although a few concertgoers may fit into this category, we as musicians must train our ears to detect every nuance of sound, phrasing, tension and release—the entire musical landscape. While it may go without saying, don't ever underestimate the power and importance of solfège. Being able to hear the music in your head before you've played a note—no matter if it's “Yankee Doodle” or a Bach suite—is just as necessary to a musician as being able to imagine the sound of the spoken word is to a poet.

Type
Chapter
Information
Aldo Parisot, The Cellist
The Importance of the Circle
, pp. 173 - 176
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2018

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×