My Friend Francis: Getting To Know a Person
Allowing unexpected details to expand our thinking.
written by
Jay Hunsberger
Perhaps my favorite part of the work we do is helping people discover “who they are.”
Taking time to learn their formulative stories and uncover their fundamental values and aspirations.
Holding up a mirror for them to see who they are (which may be different from who others think they are).
Often, it's the first step in their philanthropic journey.
This is a story about finding the unexpected. It’s about a friend – not a client.
It’s about how we perceive others and opening our minds (and hearts) to truly seeing them.
Like you, I’ve met so many incredible people during the different chapters of my life. Some of them have become dear friends. One such person is Francis Schwartz. Francis is a composer of cerebral and provocative music. I met him and his lovely wife Marta when they attended a concert I organized (and performed in) in May, 2007. A few days later we met for coffee; I was immediately entranced by his rare blend of what I will call “poignant sagacity” and raucous wit. Among the many points of intersection that we shared that day was his friendship with Harvey Phillips, an influential teacher in my life. He captivated me with stories of their hilarious adventures together decades earlier at the Pablo Casals Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico. And he shared his unrealized dream of penning a musical composition for Harvey.
Art Reveals The Inner Details
As we said goodbye at the coffee shop, Francis shared that he had just read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” I picked up a copy of this remarkable novel on my way home. If you haven’t read it, check it out. The next time I saw Francis I told him how strongly the story and themes of the book impacted me. A month later Francis sent me a new composition, “Grey Road,” which immediately became a staple in my performance repertoire.
“Grey Road” is a vivid musical painting of the harsh and dire themes of McCarthy’s book. Like so much of Francis’s music, it is meant to challenge the listener, to make us think, and to provoke us to see what’s really going on – not just coast along with blinders on. How fascinating that this gentle, funny, thoughtful man writes music that is often irreverent, jarring, and dissonant.
Composers, like novelists, painters and so many creators, hold a unique place in the world. Their art often illuminates the details of an inner life – theirs or the characters they create. The best art may reveal the contradictions and the fine details that can be easily overlooked. Sometimes the way to understand is to close your eyes and just listen to what’s being communicated. What are the themes and threads that keep coming to the surface? And how do they all come together to form a whole?
Taking time to understand the music can be a rambling, non-linear road, just like the experience of getting to know a person.
Discovering the Unexpected
My university students first “met” Francis through his music. Through studying and performing his music, they understood him to be a very serious soul, writing music that challenged the listener both in its advanced tonalities as well as its thematic material. Therefore, the surprise of watching them come to know Francis in real life, off the stage, remains one of my fondest memories. I keenly remember one of my graduate students being in utter disbelief that this funny, engaging, charming man could be the same person to write such sobering music. They all fell in love with him, as I had. And we were all reminded how important it is to look at the complete picture before judging. We are all made up of contradictions – things that we would never expect from the person in front of us. Taking time to see clearly and accept the entire person is not easy, but, when we make the effort to do it, our lives are so much richer and more colorful. For my students, realizing that this gentle, funny man who reminded them of their grandfather could also be the composer of such wrenching art was both a joy and a lesson.
In today’s world of quick reads, high-level synopses, and black-and-white politics, let’s take the time to clearly see others, including the things that don’t neatly fit. We can start with ourselves. What difference do I want to make in the world? What would I do if I knew I could not fail? Has there been one, recurring theme playing through all the chapters of my life that I haven’t been paying attention to?
Finding clarity is the first step in the journey.
I look forward to sharing more about Francis in the future, as this humble man has played an outsized role in my life. Who are your heroes? Your mentors? What is it about them that made such an impact on you?
