I performed a George Crumb Birthday concert at the University of Vermont last week to celebrate his turning 80 this week. I imagine there would be a lot more hoopla about this had Carter not burst all future birthday bubbles with his centenary last year. None the less, this was a very meaningful concert for me. I, not unlike many of my contemporaries, credit the music of George Crumb as one of the really big first influences that inspired them to explore what was possible in music. His piece “Music for a Summer Evening” had an immediate and lasting impact on me from the first time that I heard it back in college.

Thinking back to when I first encountered Crumb’s music, I recall being amazed by the unusual timbres and colors that he was creating. These sounds piqued my interest to the point of doing exhaustive bunch of score study. Not surprisingly, I was rapt by all of the beauty and idiosyncrasy that these scores contained. I would spend hours listening and imagining what all of this meant. Since I was such a superfan, one of my friends (MCC) even found him at Penn one day to get an autograph for me that still sits in a box in my basement along with hockey legend Mario Lemieux.

The thing that sticks with me from back then is when I took my score of “Music for a Summer Evening” home with my for school break. I was attending CCM in Cincinnati and home was in Pittsburgh , PA, so Zanesville, OH was the halfway point for food, bathroom, gas… My exit of choice really only had a McDonalds, so that was where I always went. For some odd reason, I was compelled to take my halfway to home break at McDonalds with my score. I guess earnest Doug just could not wait another minute to explore the depths of this masterpiece (which I would not actually perform for another 14 years, BTW…) So, me and my McDonalds coffee sat and pondered the wonders. I was apparently so moved that I returned to my red Geo Prizm, placed the score on the roof of my car and headed for Pittsburgh full of inspiration, and after getting back on the highway, without my score. It became part of I-70. I still love that piece and for all of the inspiration that it has brought me. (Below is a pic from my “Summer Evening” setup.)

Happy Birthday George Crumb! Your music has brought me much joy and your music makes me always reminds me about how to find wonder in what I do.