Dave Brubeck
Summary
- 1920-2012
- Pianist
- Composer of 'Take Five'
- known for music with unusual time signatures and contrasting rhythms
Details
- His mother tried to teach him piano but he refused to cooperate. He tried to learn by himself and eventually got into music dept in college.
- He couldn't read music but faked his way though his exercises
- He switched his major to music at the urging of the head of zoology at the time, Dr. Arnold, who told him, "Brubeck, your mind's not here. It's across the lawn in the conservatory. Please go there. Stop wasting my time and yours."
- He was almost expelled when it was discovered he could not read music, but was allowed to stay on condition that he never teach piano.
References
Quotes
Pianist Dave Brubeck earned the medal as well. His song “Take Five” was chosen by NPR listeners as the quintessential jazz tune of all time. Brubeck’s mother tried to teach him piano, but he refused to follow instructions. He was born cross-eyed, and his childhood reluctance was related to his inability to see the musical notation. His mother gave up, but he listened when she taught others and tried to imitate. Brubeck still could not read music when he dropped out of veterinary premed at the College of the Pacific and walked across the lawn to the music department, but he was a masterful faker. He put off studying piano for instruments that would more easily allow him to improvise his way through exercises. Senior year, he could hide no longer. “I got a wonderful piano teacher,” he recalled, “who figured out I couldn’t read in about five minutes.” The dean informed Brubeck that he could not graduate and furthermore was a disgrace to the conservatory. Another teacher who had noticed his creativity stuck up for him, and the dean cut a deal. Brubeck was allowed to graduate on the condition that he promise never to embarrass the institution by teaching. Twenty years later, the college apparently felt it had sufficiently escaped embarrassment, and awarded him an honorary doctorate.