BZ
Benjamin Zander
33quotes
Benjamin Zander: A Maestro of Music and Motivation
Full Name and Common Aliases
Benjamin Zander is the full name of this renowned conductor, pianist, and music educator. He is often referred to as Ben Zander by his friends and colleagues.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on January 21, 1939, Benjamin Zander is still active in the music world today, making him one of the most enduring figures in classical music.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Benjamin Zander holds dual citizenship of the United States and Germany. His profession spans multiple fields: conductor, pianist, music educator, and motivational speaker.
Early Life and Background
Born in Berlin, Germany, Benjamin Zander's early life was marked by a love for music. He began playing piano at the age of 6 and continued to hone his skills throughout his childhood. In 1949, his family moved to the United States, where he attended Harvard University as an undergraduate and later earned his master's degree in piano from the New England Conservatory.
Major Accomplishments
Benjamin Zander has had a storied career as a conductor, leading several prominent orchestras around the world. He served as music director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra (1979-2002) and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (1998-2003). His notable performances have taken him to prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and the Berlin Philharmonie.
Notable Works or Actions
Benjamin Zander is perhaps best known for his TED Talk "The Art of Possibility," delivered in 2008. In this talk, he shared insights on leadership, teamwork, and creative problem-solving through music. He also founded the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra's youth education programs and has been a vocal advocate for arts education.
Impact and Legacy
Benjamin Zander's impact extends far beyond his impressive conducting career. His ability to connect with audiences and inspire creativity has earned him numerous awards and accolades. In 2008, he was awarded the prestigious Wolf Prize in Arts for his contributions to music and education.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Benjamin Zander's influence can be attributed to his unique approach to leadership and artistry. He is widely quoted for saying that "music is a mystery" and that "the goal of art is not just to express emotion, but also to evoke it in others." His passion for music education has inspired countless individuals to pursue careers in the arts.
Benjamin Zander's life and work serve as a testament to the power of creativity, perseverance, and collaboration. As a maestro of music and motivation, he continues to inspire audiences around the world with his profound insights on leadership, teamwork, and the transformative potential of art.
Quotes by Benjamin Zander
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Right. So if the eyes are shining, you know you’re doing it. If the eyes are not shining, you get to ask a question. And this is the question: who am I being that my players’ eyes are not shining? We can do that with our children, too. Who am I being, that my children’s eyes are not shining? That’s a totally different world.
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I settled on a game called I am a contribution. Unlike success and failure, contribution has no other side. It is not arrived at by comparison.
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He had realized that the labels he had been taking so seriously are human inventions – it’s all a game. The Number 68 is invented and the A is invented, so we might as well choose to invent something that brightens our life and the lives of the people around us.
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It’s not a question of how much power you can hoard for yourself, but how much you can give away.
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Would you think of somebody who you adore, who’s no longer there? A beloved grandmother, a lover – somebody in your life who you love with all your heart, but that person is no longer with you. Bring that person into your mind, and at the same time follow the line all the way from B to E, and you’ll hear everything that Chopin had to say.
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The practice of giving an A transports your relationships from the world of measurement into the universe of possibility... This A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.
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As leaders, we’re giving out grades in every encounter we have with people. We can choose to give out grades as an expectation to live up to, and then we can reassess them according to performance. Or we can offer grades as a possibility to live into. The second approach is much more powerful.
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I’m so sorry for you; your lives have been so easy. You can’t play great music unless your heart’s been broken.
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Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat. If we include mistakes in our definition of performance, we are likely to glide through them and appreciate the beauty of the longer run.
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