Behind me was a large window that led directly to a narrow ledge extending around the 11th floor circumference of the Lancaster Hotel. A boy and a girl who were older than me and way “hipper” asked me very politely if I might open that window so that they could both traverse around the circumference of the building. I said, “No way! That’s dangerous and you could get killed!” The boy said, (remember that we were barely out of the 1960’s) “Hey man you are a beautiful cat. You care about us and that’s very cool.” We went back and forth like that but finally I relented. While the two were walking around the building I waited in mortal terror. I thought that if anything were to happen to them this would certainly be my fault. Then in my imagination I saw tomorrow’s h eadline in the Long Island paper Newsday. Printed in big block letters I see- TEENS PLUMMET TO DEATH IN MIDTOWN HOTEL! (then underneath in smaller fonts) 16 year old boy who opened the window for them explains, ‘They were older and way cooler than me’. Charges are still pending for the Northport High School senior. (Story continues on page 7) I waited for the longest five minutes known to mankind but the two eventually returned from their trip. I thanked God for that but I had more than enough excitement for one evening and went back to my hotel room- which I shared with fellow student participant violinist William Hayden. About two years later, when I was at Juilliard, cellist Channing Robbins invited me to be his assistant teacher at the Usdan Center for the Arts in Long Island. Channing was the assistant to Leonard Rose at Juilliard in the 1970’s. Leonard Rose toured exte nsively with his trio during that time period (the Stern, Rose Istomin Trio). He was so often “on tour” that for all intents and purposes Channing taught Rose’s students almost full time. Channing told me this story about going out to eat with Yo Yo and his mother after a Juilliard lesson. They went to one of those Greek diners on Broadway and the 70’s. They sat down at one of those “booths” with connected seating like the back of a car. As Channing explained it, Yo Yo was seated on the left, Channing was in the middle and Yo Yo’s mom was to his right.
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease