Eli Newberger: The Y62 Interview and More
Special News!
Friends of Children hosts its first Boston Gala, and honors Eli and Carolyn Newberger! Click on the graphic below to see the full invitation, and then click this link to reserve your tickets. Reservations must be made by Friday, May 6.
Music videos of Eli’s bands
Eli: “This video, ‘The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,’ includes classmate Dudley Taft, who sat in beautifully with his banjo.”
“Tight Like This” – The New Black Eagle Jazz Band
“Jersey Lightning” – The New Black Eagle Jazz Band
“Chinatown, My Chinatown” – Eli & The Hot Six
Eli: “Another video, resonating to our theory and composition days at Yale. As I was cleaning out my desk in Brookline before the movers arrived to take our stuff to Lenox, I came across this manuscript of a piece for tuba solo that I wrote as an assignment for one of our classes in 1960.
“I sounded it out in my head, as its classical technical demands were beyond my present day capacity. It sounded good.
“On a lark, I sent it for consideration to the Tuba Press, which after peer review, accepted it for publication.
“Then I sent the MS to my buddy Mike Roylance of the BSO, who gave its world premiere at a conference for tuba players and other BUTI students in Lenox a couple of years ago.”
We welcome your comments below.
This was an unexpected treat. Eli Newberger is obviously brilliant, talented, and successful both as a physician and as a musician. I had often enjoyed being on the periphery of his life when we were at YC and YaleMed. Now it’s very satisfying to learn a bit about how his life has been lived, and how he has contributed wisely and deeply to the professional and avocational niches in which he has participated and contributed. And to make all of that even more satisfying, he seems to be a remarkably kind, thoughtful, honest, insightful, and “good” man. Thanks for a very satisfying presentation. I encourage any of you who read my words to take 37 minutes that will reward you with fascinating knowledge, satisfying entertainment, and deep appreciation for a man with whom we are lucky enough to have had a tangential relationship.
Ditto to all of John Wickenden’s comments—this interview is well-worth the 37-minute time investment. In addition to being awed by Eli’s passion, wisdom and contributions to children and families, I’m also reminded of the role that serendipity has played in so many of our lives. Headed for a neurology residency at Stanford until the Vietnam War intervened. Eli detoured to a turn in Africa for the Peace Corps. That led him to pediatrics instead of neurology. He would have made a contribution no matter what path he chose, but I suspect this was destiny at work. Eli’s commentary on music and Tanglewood is a bonus.
As someone who spent 22 years as a trial court judge in Minnesota (7 years of which were on family and juvenile court) I was involved in all aspects of the cases Eli describes-criminal, civil and child protection. I found the first part of the interview very interesting but it brought back memories of the sad and often depressing nature of these cases. Fortunately the videos of the music which has always been one of my favorites restored my spirits. Thanks to both of you for doing this.
So loved this interview and hearing in-depth expansion of Eli’s career. We were introduced in the 70’s and 80’s to him at festival in Sacramento with the new Black Eagles where he made love through his tuba. Unforgettable.
Subsequently, learning of his dual career as physician and musician, talk show hosting with physician wife Carolyn, etc. was fascinated with learning of his time at Stanford.
My now deceased friend, Stanford prof, John Krumboltz, would definitely call Eli’s story as “planned happenstance”.
Makes me happy to learn more.