i worked with john for four years at boston university. i have had two
teachers who have been most influential in my life. the first was henry
lasker, my high school theory/composition teacher. what 'hank' taught me
has enabled me to do everything i have done in music. john was the second.
he saw potential in me and did all he could to drag it out of me.
some teachers can be inspiring. every once in a while, they'll say
something that really hits home. john was inspiring everyday. he was
passionate. teaching was neither a job nor a career to him. it was a
calling. and it didn't end when class was over.
about a year and a half before his death, john quit opera and became a
buddhist monk. that was john. and in an operatic kind of way, his
untimely death seems almost appropriate. in truth, i would have prefered
he'd outlived me.
the best thing i can say about john is that i am still learning the
things he taught me. how many teachers can you say that about?
mike
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