National Public Radio in the USA requested essays on the topic “My Best Gift Ever.” Below is my submission.
Miami, Florida
December 19, 2002
The best gift I ever received was a bassoon. Yes, a bassoon, the largest in size and deepest in tone of the woodwind musical instruments. This gift had an immediate and joyful impact on my non-work life and, eventually, a dramatic influence on my professional life as well.
My former, and now, late, wife Alice Dawn knew that I came from a musical family. I told her that I played the piano as a boy. She also knew that I learned to play the bassoon in high school where I was a member of the orchestra and concert band. After high school my music-making stopped. I left home for college and the bassoon stayed behind at Taft High School, in The Bronx.


