Audio: Brett Mitchell on Kurt Masur and the power of Beethoven

Kurt Masur and Brett Mitchell after performing together at the Manhattan School of Music on March 12, 2004.

DENVER — Brett Mitchell has shared a reminiscence about his mentor Kurt Masur with Colorado Public Radio as part of CPR Classical’s Beethoven At 250 series:

Brett Mitchell, Music Director of the Colorado Symphony, worked and studied with the late, great German conductor Kurt Masur from 2004 to 2009.

Mitchell remembers a story Masur told him about the power of Beethoven’s music.

“He was driving through New York City, when he was Music Director of the New York Philharmonic (1991-2002),” Mitchell said. 

Masur was stopped at a red light and a man, who appeared to be homeless, knocked on his window.

“Masur rolled down the window and told the gentleman that he didn’t have any money,” Mitchell recounted from Masur.  "'No, no no,'" the man said. 'Aren’t you the maestro?'  Masur said that he was ... The gentleman said to Masur, 'I was in Central Park last summer for your performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and I just wanted you to know that it changed my life and I have never been the same.'"

Mitchell said he has always remembered that story because it had a profound effect on him.

“I remember really feeling, maybe for the first time, how powerful music can truly be,” Mitchell said.  “How broad a section of humanity that his music could really reach.”

Read Beethoven At 250: What’s Your Beethoven Story? at CPR Classical, and hear Mr. Mitchell’s full reminiscence below: