A Gift of Gratitude

Two years ago, I stumbled across a familiar name in my Internet wanderings: Walter Ehret. He was my high school choir director. Amazingly, his postal address was in that Internet posting, so I decided to write him a letter.

I started by recounting how we met. I was a sophomore at Scarsdale (NY) High School, and I had a good friend, Steve, who was in the school's Concert Choir. Steve urged me to audition for the Concert Choir, but I would have none of it: I didn't think I could sing, and besides I was way too shy to have anyone hear me singing.

Then one day Steve and I were walking in the hallway, and Mr. Ehret was approaching from the opposite direction. Steve wanted to introduce us, so I shook Mr. Ehret's hand saying something like "I'm fine, thanks." Mr. Ehret's response? "Listen to that resonance!" Without letting go of my hand, he steered me up to the "music tower" where I was auditioned and accepted into the Concert Choir on the spot.

That was the way Mr. Ehret was: brimming with enthusiasm, positive energy, and encouragement. From him, I quickly developed confidence in my singing and a love for choral music. His humor and nurturing spirit (for all of us) made my 2+ years of Concert Choir the platform for a life of singing. He saw to it that I had voice lessons, got me to enter competitions, and had me soloing in performances by my senior year. (At my first concert that sophomore year, I was so nervous just singing in the 60-member chorus that I could hardly make a sound.)

I should add that he was an extraordinarily prolific arranger, author (e.g., "The Choral Conductor's Handbook"), and was a leader in music education beyond Scarsdale High.

In my letter back in 2007, I recounted our meeting, enumerated my singing experiences over the past 45 years -- and thanked him for launching me on the activity that has so enriched my life. He sent me a nice return letter, and that was it until about a month ago.

That was when I received an e-mail from Mr. Ehret's son, David, informing me that his father, Walter, had passed on Nov. 16 at the age of 91. David was writing to me because his mother had saved that letter I wrote and wanted to read it at Walter's memorial service on Dec. 5 in White Plains, NY. Would I mind?

Would I mind? Of course not! I would be honored to have my simple expression of thanks read on that occasion 3000 miles away. But there was more. There would be a video of the service, which I could watch after the fact.

I did watch, and during that hour-long service many people got up to say how grateful they were for the influence (sometimes quite profound) that Walter Ehret had had on their lives. Then at the end of the service "Mr." Ehret's widow stood up to read my letter, one example to represent the thousands of students who had been inspired, even blessed, by his encouragement and teaching.

I had thought of my letter as a sort-of "gift" to Mr. Ehret, an expression of thanks reaching across the decades. In the end, though, I think I was the one who received a greater gift -- the appreciation of Mr. Ehret's family and the knowledge that I had been fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to convey my gratitude to him while he was still alive.

Do a Google search on "Walter Ehret," and I think you'll be amazed.