The Syracuse University Wind Ensemble, led by Milton Rubén Laufer, presents world premiere recordings of works by Frank Ticheli and Natalie Draper on ANGELS RISING: MUSIC OF REMEMBRANCE AND LIGHT. Bookended by iconic Gershwin pieces, both works commemorate the 35 Syracuse University students lost in the 1988 Lockerbie bombings.
Today, Milton is our featured artist in the “Inside Story,” a blog series exploring the inner workings and personalities of our composers and performers. Read on to learn about his favorite Virgil Thompson quote, and the one person he’d choose to perform with if he could travel back in time…
Tell us about your first performance.
My first big performance took place when I was 12 as part of the Young Steinway Concert Artist Series in my hometown of Chicago. It was a very special and difficult performance for me because it took place on my father’s birthday, and he had passed away 6 months earlier. He was so excited when I received the invitation to perform — I knew he would’ve wanted me to play, so I dedicated the performance to his memory and took the stage.
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?
I would’ve tried to build a career for myself in the foreign service, the diplomatic corps of the U.S. Department of State. Statecraft is fascinating to me, and I’ve always enjoyed cultivating new relationships. Years ago, I had an incredible experience working with the U.S. Embassy in Madrid and performing on their behalf throughout Spain. Getting to know the leadership of the diplomatic mission and the service officers cemented that sense of it being a career for me in an alternate universe.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
My mother was a renowned dancer, but she retired by the time I was born. If I could travel back in time, I would’ve loved to play piano for one of her performances, especially when she opened for Sinatra in the 1950s.
What are your other passions besides music?
My biggest passion is my family — spending time with my wife and daughters doing just about anything. Of course we make music together, but we also cook, travel, and laugh a lot. A lazy Sunday baking cookies with my daughters while my wife tries to snatch cookie dough at every opportunity is pretty heavenly to me.
What musical mentor had the greatest impact on your artistic journey? Is there any wisdom they’ve imparted onto you that still resonates today?
He wasn’t my mentor, but Virgil Thompson’s quote, “I’ve never known a musician who regretted being one. Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let you down” has left an indelible imprint on my outlook. Everything that’s good in my life has come to me because of music, and I am incredibly grateful. Whenever I meet prospective students and their families, I share that quote with them — what a great fortune to have music as a path in life.
What emotions do you hope listeners will experience after hearing your work?
I hope they can hear the emotional contrasts — the humor and cheekiness we brought to Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris juxtaposed with the sober gravity of Energy and Light and Angel’s Rising. It’s life — happiness and pain, up and down, life and death. This is an album of juxtapositions held together with messages of hope and optimism. I hope listeners relate.
Milton Rubén Laufer has graced some of the world's most iconic venues including Lincoln Center, New World Center, and Tchaikovsky Hall and has shared the stage with legendary artists like Natalie Cole, Chucho Valdés, and Guerassim Voronkov. His appearances on Spanish-speaking television and radio have transcended borders, captivating audiences throughout Europe, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. A versatile artist, Laufer's portfolio includes performing, arranging, production, and sound reconstruction credits across renowned labels including Naxos, Bis Records, Beauport Classical, and Zenph Sound Innovations.
