A few days ago, I had lunch with a family who was interested in having their son take composition lessons with me. His current teacher, who is also a friend of mine, will soon be going off to graduate school in another city.

During the lunch, I took some time to review a few of the young composer’s pieces. It was apparent that he was talented and had received some quality instruction.

“It’s pretty easy to find a piano teacher, but how did you go about finding a composition teacher?” I asked innocently.

The answer stunned me.

“Several years ago, I read in the newspaper about a high school student that had done well in a composing competition, and that his composition was going to be performed at a concert in town,” the mother replied. “We went to the concert and were amazed by his music, and I asked him if he would give my son composition lessons.”

I sat there for a while, processing the response as the conversation veered into a different direction. I was thinking, we never quite know the extent to which positive events create ripple effects in our community and reach people we’ve never met before in ways we’d never imagine.

You see, in 2004, I sent a press release to the Cedar Rapids Gazette that included the results of the Iowa Composers Forum’s student composition competition. That year, I also hosted a new music festival in Cedar Rapids that included performances of the winning works in the student composition competition. So in a very direct way, I was responsible for this concert happening and for the press it received. And, indirectly, I had a hand in these two parties meeting and for the positive relationship that ensued.

Certainly, the composer and the teacher deserve all of the credit for the progress they’ve made since that first meeting, but it really warms my heart to think that I had a small part in getting these folks together initially.

So to those of you that take the time to coach, or teach, or mentor, or volunteer in any capacity – take heart in the idea that you never really know how one positive interaction between you and those whose lives you touch can have in the lives of others two or three relationships removed from you.

I do believe that doing good works will not get you to the next life, but they sure do make this life a lot more meaningful.

ShareThis