This holiday season we bade farewell to Oscar Peterson,
legendary jazz pianist, who died at age 82.
For over sixty years, Peterson lived his vocation as a piano virtuoso. A
recording musician, composer, and performer, Peterson practised tirelessly with
his various ensembles to perfect their collective art. He received many honours
in his lifetime.
Encouraged by his father to pursue music, Peterson was coached by his sister,
trained in classical music and won a CBC music contest at age 14. To follow his
dream, he quit school and performed around Montreal for ten years until being
discovered by a New York producer. Peterson toured internationally for the rest
of his life, comfortable as the featured entertainer or as the accompanist to
other jazz giants. He composed the inspiring Hymn to Freedom as a response to
the racism that he experienced. Although plagued with health problems in later
years, including left hand paralysis, Peterson continued to give exceptional
concerts.
Typical of “genius”, Peterson’s pursuit of musical perfection required
significant personal sacrifice, which he bore with dignity and discretion away
from the public eye.
His greatest joy was playing piano and “lifting” people when they listened.
Beyond his incredible musical outpouring, Peterson’s legacy consists in the
qualities that ensured his success: a determined work ethic, dedication,
confidence, humility, courage, dynamism, flexibility, openness to others, good
humour.
By maintaining the swinging roots of jazz in his work, he taught us the value of
propelling ourselves into the future from a great respect for our history.
Peterson showed us the necessity to master our instrument: for each human being,
our first and most essential instrument is our own personality. By achieving a
harmony – or mastery – in our thoughts, sentiments, and actions we can be much
more effective in bringing our dreams to fruition. Peterson showed us the
heights possible by cultivating ourselves to our maximum potential.
Peterson demonstrated the importance of nurturing the artistic and innate
imaginative talents of youth, so that in society each person can experience the
joy that comes from creating beautiful works for others.
