Dorian Cochrane, Tanglewood (1981)

I am a 56 year old married female (I am at far left in the photo). I live and work in Hyannis Cape Cod Massachusetts.  I am a CEO but have had a stage 4 head and neck cancer diagnosis requiring many surgeries. My parents were both classical pianists and graduates of Juilliard. My Dad was a sound engineer for Decca classical. He died in a plane crash.

I met Professor di Bonaventura at Tanglewood as a student in the Boston University young artists program in 1981 when I was 17.  I auditioned at Symphony Hall playing a difficult program. There were over 250 applicants from Massachusetts alone, and I was the only pianist chosen from my state. The other students were from all over the world - only one other piano student was from the United States (he was from New Jersey). I remember when I got there, all of my peers were better pianists than me I felt and it was competitive -very competitive.

Professor di Bonaventura was head of the Boston University Young Artists program.  The memories I have of him are that he was an excellent and kind teacher. Very warm - caring - considerate and kind!! He was an authority of Baroque music and I was thrilled because I loved Bach! He always encouraged me to play piano better in a way that was positive and not negative. He would focus on my strengths instead of my weaknesses.

He was handsome and of a thin build. He dressed impeccably even in the warm Summer of 1981. He made me a much better Bach interpreter and was a great teacher and kind person - never overly critical and quite supportive, even when others were not!!  During the first piano lesson, I asked him why he chose me as a student. He said the two Chopin Etudes I played - my performance of those were outstanding as well as the fact I played an even more difficult piece right after (a Chopin ballade), was the reason he chose me as a student for the Tanglewood program.

The professor conducted master classes regularly. They were held in the shed on the grounds of Tanglewood. One day, during a master class, I played the Bach prelude and fugue in c minor and the Arioso (BMW 847 and BMW 156). Well, Professor di Bonaventura asked my peers their thoughts on the performance I gave. My fellow peers then ripped it apart, criticizing everything I did.  I remember trying to hold back tears as I was sitting on the bench, and thought, oh no! I wonder what my teacher Professor di Bonaventura would say. Worse??! Well, he just sat there with his notes and looked at me. And then he smiled warmly at me and got up to walk up to where I was. (I was up on the stage in the shed). He then turned and looked at the other students in the audience and said “Dorian played very well!!” He said “she played these pieces the way she interpreted them, which is her right as a performer.” He added, “her technique was excellent!! She played with no pedal at a fast tempo and that is her interpretation.” (Referring to the Bach prelude and fugue). I was relieved to say the least!! The students shifted in their seats mumbling and didn’t say another word!! That is my best memory of him!!

He boosted my confidence as a pianist and I loved being his student at Tanglewood. I graduated with a B+ grade and was happy.

Tanglewood was special!! I remember standing in the lunch line with Seiji Ozawa in front of me and Andre Previn behind me. Students were given the same treatment as the visiting Artists (believe it or not!!). 

I have other memories of the Artists that summer. One was of Andre Previn, where I was in the produce department of the town store and I saw him!! I said, “hello Maestro” and was asking him to autograph my music book when I accidentally bumped into a large stack of oranges that fell all over the place (and some on his feet!!!!!).  He just laughed and started helping me pick them up!!  Really!! Another memory was Alicia de Larrocha, she knocked on the practice room door and came in (I was practicing). She asked if she could use the room so of course I jumped up and left but not before asking her to please autograph my book!! She was a beautiful and kind lady!!  She then asked me where the piano tuner was, etc. I said I didn’t know. I remember thinking how petite she was but played piano like a giant!!