Personal Memories
This lifetime has given me many experiences I cherish deeply today. This page is a highlight reel of my trip down memory lane — things that have brought me joy and pride.
(Click the photo for an enlargement.)
With my wife Nadine on a recent trip to Israel.
My family (son Peter, Nadine, daughter Lara) in our Toronto home.
Receiving the Tagore Gold Medal for Most Distinguished Student at the Royal College of Music from Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1975. She was every bit as charming and gracious as I’d dreamed of her being.
At age 10, playing the Indian Bells in the Fairy Band on a recording of Benjamin Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, which Britten himself conducted. I am staring at Britten over the heads of the London Symphony Orchestra.
Throwing out the first pitch at a Jays game in 2012. They asked me to play a few innings, but Jose Bautista didn’t seem ready to conduct Mahler 5 that night, so I respectfully declined. Go Jays!!
At age 8. I finally grew into my ears last week.
My older brother Haig skating at the 1972 Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo. Haig was a 2-time Olympian, a 3-time British figure skating champion, and won the free skating portion of the European Figure Skating Championships in 1971. For all his skating accolades, he’s a pretty decent brother as well.
My nephew Ben Smith, as captain of the Toronto Marlies, helped bring the first professional hockey championship to Toronto in 51 years! This was a mere two weeks before my final concert as the Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Serendipity worth celebrating! Go Marlies!!
My cousin Eric Idle showing off his hidden talents after a Monty Python reunion in New York City.
RMR: Rick and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Rick (with a little help from me) conducts Canada’s premiere symphonic ensemble at Roy Thomson Hall.