Winter, 2000 MASSIMO THE GREAT! It is wonderful when you meet someone who you discover is a kindred spirit! A person with whom you share so many attributes, feelings and tastes. While it would seem more common for this to occur in one's earlier years, it rarely seems to happen in later years. Why am I pursuing this line? Enter Massimo Nunzi. Who is Massimo Nunzi? Well, Massimo, age thirty-seven, is an excellent composer and trumpet player living and working in Rome. He has studied the trumpet with Carmine Caruso, Charles Colin and Steve Huffsteter and composition with Franco Sbacco, Pete Rugolo and Clare Fisher. He has written many original works for the theatre and ballet  among which are Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Tempest". He has written two symphonies as well as having scored and recorded for both the cinema, televsion and recordings. In the field of  Jazz, he has played and arranged for TV performances and concerts for Dizzy Gillespie, Don Cherry, Lester Bowie, Chet Baker, Jimmy Owens and Toshiko Akyoshi, among others.  In February, 1999, Massimo won the unique prize, "Beaumarchais" in the section "Lyrique" for his opera, "Qui Donc Quidam". This most prestigious of prizes is organized by SACEM, the French equivalent to our ASCAP or BMI.  As well, his friend and librettist, Yann Apperry, won the prize for the libretto to this opera. The above list, and only a partial one at that, is a quite impressive one for so young a person! Certainly, this is a testament to his talents and accomplishments to date. But what makes him so unique? And why do I feel him as a kindred spirit? Beyond Massimo's success, exemplified by his "curriclum vitae", lies a true concern about culture and the arts in his country and the world and feels great concern where all this may be headed. He, like myself, feels the tragedy that has taken hold of our societies in the form of ignorance, complacency and a lack of desire concerning those things that make us feel deeply, that add so much of a positive nature to our lives, in other words, The Arts! Massimo is an extremely sensitive human being who has a true regard for people and the world. It goes far beyond today's prevalent concept of "all for me and who gives a damn about you! Or anybody else for that matter!" While he, as am I, is absorbed with his own creative quest in life, he sees that there is a larger picture to be viewed, greater matters to be confronted than just one individual's own interests. We all are part of the bigger picture and must care about the whole! Sadly, Italy, like our country, has evolved into a place of declining culture where people choose to sit in front of their TVs watching awful game shows or sitcoms or hanging in coffee bars playing video games rather than indulge themselves in anything of any redeeming cultural value. Italy, you say? This is happening in Italy? Yes, unfortunately it is! In the home of Puccini, Rossini, La Scala and fine opera, we find orchestras dying, cultural venues falling into disuse, and great art dying for lack of popular interest. Sound familiar? But, like Massimo, there are many younger artists in the fields of music, theatre and the other arts who are very concerned about this situation and want to try to rectify this state of being by taking culture and cultural events to the people. Of course, problems with lack of funding and support are omnipresent as well the constant lack of care on the part of those in power or a deficiency of awareness on the part of the public. These "powers" care only for what is in it for themselves, and the public-- the public seems only too content to be lulled into a state of powerless apathy. This is nothing new; it has occurred before throughout history, usually signaling an end to an era of greatness. But there are those who wish to stem this decline, desiring to wake us up and make us aware of what is happening. Massimo is that kind of person one who cares greatly and feels as strongly about this situation confronting the Arts as he is about his own art! He truly wishes to bring about change as do others in his country, as do I in mine, and he is trying to work with those "others" to do just that.  What I deeply respect in Massimo is his drive, his level of dedication in meeting this task just as he does in the creation his own art. Today, people who feel this deeply, who are not afraid of taking the risk to go against the tide in order to make a difference in the lives of all people, not just for themselves, are a true rarity! But those of us who feel this way know we have no choice. If not us, who? How grateful I am to know people such as Massimo, kindred spirits in the world of creative artistry, ones who do truly care! In closing, you would not be teaching music if there were not a burning desire to do so.   Please keep in mind that you are looked upon as the resident musical expert by your students. Continue to grow and learn, and to  be open to new musical ideas with your students.

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