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My plan for tonight was to write about all of the usual stuff that
I’ve been writing about, cancer, kids, politics, the meltdown and then
I received news of the death of Brock McElheran.
It was my incredible good fortune to perform under the baton of
Maestro McElheran for several years during college. Others will write
about his accomplishments in music composition, writing and choral
conducting. They will write of his experiences as a fighter pilot.
They will write about the honor of performing under his baton as part
of the Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980 or at the re-dedication of the
Statue of Liberty in 1986. They’ll talk about premiering new works and
Brock rehearsing groups to perform under the baton of others.
I want to tell you two stories. I started my college career at the
Crane School of Music in 1985 at age 17. I was 8 hours from my family
and l iving on my own for the first time as most college students
are. Shortly after arriving I auditioned for Collegiates
one of the choral groups at the school and much to my surprise I was
accepted. This was a small group of singers and I and Brian Jackson
(Hi Brian) were the only freshmen in the group.
We had our first rehearsal and in walked Maestro Brock McElheran.
By this time he had been teaching at the college for 38 years and was
near seventy years old. He was not a large man but filled a space with
his presence. He informed us of his expectations for this group, we
had rehearsal and he welcomed back old singers. Quite honestly I was
intimidated and feeling out of my league. He made a point to speak to
Brian and I.
“You!, I don’t know you! You need to stop me and say hello before
we have our next rehearsal next week.” Rehearsal ended and I went on
my merry way, living the life of a college freshman with all that you
remember that entailing. I had walked by him once or twice in the
halls but had not actually stopped to talk to him. Still intimidated I
thought that talking to him between classes was presumptous.
Rehearsals for Collegiates were in the evening and we all
usually wandered in after dinner. We settled in and suddenly “You!”
with a finger pointing at me. “Yes Sir?” I responded.
“You didn’t stop by to say hello to me this week!” Then a big
smile. After I got over being scared out of my mind I decided that
from that moment on I would say hello to Brock McElheran.
I had the good fortune to be a part of the choir that celebrated the
Crane School of Music’s centennial in November 1986. It was a “coming
home” type of performance as we were performing at Lincoln Center in
NYC, a train ride from my family and friends. This performance was a
huge effort in coordination; two hundred choiristers, the New York
Philharmonic, Sherill Milnes as a soloist and under the baton of
Maestro Zubin Mehta.
Upon returning to the hotel from a day of rehearsal I was getting
ready to go to dinner when Brock found me and informed me that a call
had been received from my parents and that I needed to call home. This
was before cell phones so I stood in the lobby of the hotel calling my
parents with the assumption that they were confirming the performance
that they were to attend. Instead I was told that my grandfather had
died. Arrangements were being made. I was a mess, crying in the
lobby. Brock had reached his dear wife Jane and comforted me. Jane
took the phone, found out about the arrangements as Brock tried his
best to calm me down. He found the great guy that I had been seeing at
the time (Hi Tyson) and sent us off for a walk. When we returned a
little while later Brock put his hand on my shoulder, expressed his
condolences, told me not to worry about rehearsals and handed me an
envelope.
In the envelope was the train information I needed to get home and
more than enough cash for cab and train fare. When I returned I tried
to pay the money back to Brock who refused and just reminded me to be
ready for concert call on time, suddenly the maestro again.
50 percent of all music teachers in the state of New York and 20
percent of all music teachers nationwide earned their degrees at the
Crane School of Music. Brock McElheran taught at the Crane School of
Music for 41 years. I can’t begin
