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At 85, conductor Benjamin Zander is in the prime of life
In a booming British accent, a man in black jeans and sneakers jumps up and down from his seat on stage, waving and gesturing while using his soaring voice like an instrument.
“Da da … dee dee dee — there’s the horn!” he bellows.
His breath is heavy, and his upper lip is glistening. He hasn’t stopped moving like this for two hours.
Benjamin Zander could practically be mistaken for a circuit training instructor with his display of energy, but he’s the founder of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He launched the orchestra 46 years ago and founded the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in 2012.
On this wintry day, Zander guides an aspiring cellist who is performing on stage. An auditorium full of onlookers have gathered to watch the master in action at the Boston Public Library.
Zander has been educating musicians and audiences about classical music for five decades. During his master class, Zander interacts with both the audience and aspiring cellists who have signed up to seek guidance from Zander.
He turns to the audience to explain why he holds these monthly master classes.
“It’s to enable a young generation of musicians to understand their role in life, which is to get people off their butts, into the concert hall, to enjoy and experience the great works of classical music. And what we do is we break down barriers to do that.” Zander said.
Like a ping-pong match, Zander then turns to the cellist from The New England Conservatory. He encourages her to emote for the audience while playing a Shostakovich piece.
“Ok, now look. You're approaching it. And everybody in this room is moved by your willingness to get out of your polite box and struggle. You're not there yet, and they know that. But that's what the journey is about," he said.
Zander's journey into classical music began during his childhood in England. His father would return home from work exhausted but came back to life when he sat down behind the piano.
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“I got it young,” he said of his love of music. “My father practiced with me and he was a wonderful amateur musician.”
Zander’s boundless energy is fueled with a good sense of humor and connecting with people.
"What happens is the eyes of the people involved, the players themselves, and the people in the audience start to shine. And then when the eyes are shining, you know, you're doing it. And then the energy is endless in possibility. "
Zander admits conducting an orchestra can be physically demanding, especially the Mahler symphonies he will be conducting in the spring.
“My right arm gets a tremendous workout because a lot of music is tense. It's not, it's not like floating down, down the river,” he said.
Zander said he pops a few Advil before a concert to relax his muscles and help alleviate potential soreness.
“I’m not even tired at the end of a hour and a half symphony, which is very strange. People say, ‘well, you must be exhausted.’ I said, ‘I wasn't until you mentioned it.’”
Adding to Zander's happiness these days is his new musician girlfriend. “She is very good at reminding me to pace myself,” he said.
“I'm 85, so I can't be crazy, but it is interesting that, that energy is a renewable resource, right? There's no end to it, and it all depends on mindset. It all depends on, are you having a wonderful time? Are you making a difference in people's lives?”
Zander has conducted more than a thousand concerts in 52 years and has toured countless countries to bring classical music to the world. He has no plans to slow down or step away from the conductor’s podium any time soon.
"What am I going to do? Sit in a chair and stare? No, I don't think so. As long as there's somebody who's interested in engaging with me, I'll be there."
Zander shuns the moniker “maestro” and just wants to be known as Ben.
“I’m enjoying my life tremendously, tremendously, and I recommend people think of the eighties as the best time of life.”
This segment aired on February 12, 2025.
