What I didn't know about Dr. Zipper

Growing up, there was a lot of classical music in my house--both my parents played instruments (my mom piano; my Dad classical guitar) and I studied piano and then classical guitar. But my introduction to symphonic music came from two main sources: Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts (on public television) and at least one visit I can remember by Dr. Zipper (yes, that's really his name) to my elementary school.

I already knew who Dr. Zipper was because he was head of the Music Center of the North Shore, where I had taken  music lessons, beginning with Orff lessons, since I was 6. He came to my elementary school with an orchestra, which set up at one end of the gym; we all sat cross-legged on the floor in front of it. Being so close to an orchestra made a huge impression on me. It's still a crystal-clear memory.

Dr. Zipper

Part of Dr. Zipper's program involved an introduction to each instrument, including everyone's favorite--the piccolo. I guess the piccolo is kid-friendly because it's so small and so high pitched--everyone thought it was kind of funny. At least in my class the fascination with with piccolo continued long after the concert, where it was dubbed (warning, third-grade humor ahead) the pick-a-nose. To this day I have retained a fascination with the piccolo.

My all time favorite piccolo finale is in Beethoven's Egmont Overture, which we heard Thursday night. If I had more time, I'd dig up an MP3 snippet of it. Anyway, it got me thinking about Dr. Zipper, so when I got home I googled him:

The extraordinary story of Vienna born musician and conductor Herbert Zipper who survived Dachau, Buchenwald, and a Japanese concentration camp to become one of the great music educators of the world, continuing at 92 to bring music to the inner city schools of America.

In Dachau, Zipper organized secret concerts using makeshift instruments. He learned the lesson that music and the arts are essential to the very existence of life. For the last half of the 20th century, Zipper has pioneered in bringing professional orchestras into America's inner city schools.

I had no idea.

It also turns out there is a 1995 Academy Award nominated documentary on his life. Which I've bought.

Thank you, Dr. Zipper.