(Chapter 1)
Weekly Reflections by David Singer
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius
Dear Family and Friends,
Blogging is an entirely new and exciting adventure for me so feel free to say what you think/like/dislike in comments or direct messages.
The Beginning
Living through my past
In more than one way, this blog will allow me to share and discuss things that were always very private. I felt the need to document that I was a victim of child abuse. I did not do this to shame my abusers, but to help other people (especially other victims of such abuse) know and understand that it is possible to move past such horrific experiences and actually live a good and productive life. The experience of being violated does not have to forever define who you are and what future direction your life leads. There are ways to move on. Writing this memoir was actually very healing for me, and I realize that both therapy and prayer have guided and inspired me to do good deeds for others, every day if possible. Doing good deeds has helped me feel less afraid – less alone in my life.
My musical father
Writing this memoir also has given me a platform to bring back to life Rudolf Jettel, former principal clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic. I consider Professor Jettel to be my “musical father,” and still remember clearly sitting in the pit of the Staatsoper with him during opera season when I was a bright-eyed 12-year-old, watching and listening – front and center – to the operas, surrounded by the greatest orchestra and singers in the world. Even more significant, according to my orthodox relatives in Vienna, Rudolf Jettel was a hero to many Jews. He risked his own life and livelihood, playing in the Vienna Philharmonic, for helping Jews escape certain death during the occupation of the Nazis. Fact is, he was expelled from the Philharmonic. Jettel was later reinstated by the great conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler. Today, Rudolf Jettel’s name is on a large plaque in the Vienna Philharmonic Museum commemorating his heroism during WW2.
Keeping up
Another reason to me to write this book was that I wanted to let my colleagues in Orpheus and other professional groups that I played with over the years know what I went through in order to be on the stage with them. Many evenings, while colleagues were crossing Broadway or 7th Avenue on the way to play their concerts at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, they might well have caught a glimpse of a familiar face behind the wheel of a passing cab. I imagine them shaking their heads and discounting the reality of the experience, but in fact, I was that menial driver passing them by at that moment. Of course, I saw these colleagues many times while driving, but always quickly hid myself. I believed that the elite organizations I was beginning to be part of would quickly shun me if they found out that I was forced to perform such a common task as driving a cab to make a living. At times I felt like I was only brushing up against the fringe of their societal accomplishments as I toiled and struggled with everyday work, and grueling condensed musical practice sessions in a desperate attempt to keep up with my peers.
A bit obsessive, perhaps
No one in Orpheus wanted to stay in the room next to mine on the road. In large part that was because I was constantly practicing like a madman in order to feel like I was keeping up with my colleagues, who were all full-time performers. I did not want to bring the group down. As no one in Orpheus knew about my “secret life” as a regular blue-collar worker, I must have appeared obsessed with my practicing since it seemed to me that some of the other musicians I worked with had spare hours to sleep, go shopping, travel to museums, or to that ‘special restaurant on the other side of town’, to their hearts’ content. I had to maximize every hour – every minute, in order to stay on pace with my colleagues.
Family first
I also wanted to tell the story of how and why, despite my intense love of music and performing, I felt compelled to follow my wife and our daughter, Laura, and move to Seattle in an attempt to keep our family together. This was during the time I was performing at Carnegie Hall, starting out with Orpheus, and appearing with Stockard Channing in “The Lady and the Clarinet.” I went to Seattle with my family and ultimately sold welding supplies there to make a living. I also created a music program in Seattle for very young children that years later helped deliver the financial security of a university professorship.
Giving thanks to my icons
It is important for me to express my love and respect for many of the people who helped to shape my life throughout my career. Rudolf Serkin invited me to participate at the Marlboro Music Festival. We performed many times together and also recorded a Max Reger Sonata which was remastered and released in 2023 by Pristine Classical. I also performed in a trio with the world-famous Yehudi Menuhin in Carnegie Hall and after introducing him to my star-struck mother they had a private conversation together which made a big difference in her life.
From past to future
I felt consistently compelled to finish this book, not just to leave my legacy behind for whomever might be interested, but also to help the people of this world – who I can still directly touch – know some of the beauty I remember from my past, and to share with everyone my unshakable belief that there is and will be beauty in the future.
In conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed this first chapter of my ongoing blog.
Stay tuned next week for updates.
See you online!! Thank you. David
David Singer, Grammy Award-Winning Professional Musician for 55 years
Author of “From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall“
www.singerclarinet.com
Blog updated frequently
Click here to see Taxiing Toward Success – Chapter 2
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