Vanessa Cooper Dampf
I will never forget George Trautwein, he was by far the greatest gift Blind Brook District 5 ever gave its residents! Where do I begin? I have so many Uncle Trauty stories that I could probably write a very long book so I will just write about some of my more memorable moments...
7th grade I met Trauty and that is when he began calling me Ethel Merman. At the time I did not know who she was but he said I was a young Ethel Merman and when I sang I belted just like her. Years later I still love listening to her on the Broadway station and always smile and think about Mr. T when I hear her voice!
In 11th grade Mr. Trautwein decided to change me from an alto to a soprano even though I could not reach the notes at that time. I am grateful that he did that because later that year (and the following year as well) I was chosen to NYSSSA (NY State Summer School of the Arts at Fredonia State College) as one of NY's Top 25 High School Sopranos (an honor that has stayed with me). From that experience I met the great Marge Rivington, formidable Broadway Vocal Coach, who went on to work with me. How fortunate I was to have studied voice with 2 of the best...
Years later I visited Mr. T. at Blind Brook and he read me the riot act for not entering the music world and strongly (surely you all can read between the lines) he suggested I move to Nashville and become a Christian singer. Singers like Amy Grant were now mainstreamed vocalists and he said I would sail up the charts and that was my niche. Perhaps foolishly I did not listen to him (not the first time either) and I never moved to Nashville. I often wonder if he was right and if the Jewish girl from Rye Brook could have made it big, but then I look at my family and I am happy with my decision because I have a wonderful husband and two amazing boys of my own.
I will forever love you and miss you Uncle Trauty. You may not have known this while you were alive but you truly helped shape me into a better person and I thank you for so many memories. God speed...
A letter I just wrote a friend of mine. I believe more than anything we must all reach out to the people who have meant the most to us through the years and this is what I said:
Hi Spencer,
Please forgive me because I am about to get terribly sappy and may ramble on a bit and not use proper grammar or syntax but feel compelled to do so all the same...
Over a week ago I lost my first mentor, George Trautwein. Perhaps you've read Matt Miller's tribute in the Washington Post or saw his tribute Friday on the Dylan Rattigan program when he guest anchored or even heard his tribute on NPR... If not I will give you a brief description and then explain why I am telling you all of this.
George was my choir teacher/director/mentor back at Blind Brook Junior/Senior HS and he was probably the 1st person to truly believe in me and inspire me to do better. I kept in touch with him for a while but by the early 90's I stopped visiting him. I always loved him and sometimes shared stories with others I went to school with or friends who never had to privilege of knowing him but I never reached out. Now he is gone (just shy of 81) and over the past week I have been mourning his death and rejoicing his life with over 400 former friends and strangers who were also touched by George, many from the 1960's in the small town of Goldsboro, NC who read Matt's article and then joined our Facebook page. We are all hoping that one day his life story will be made into a movie.
How does all of this relate back to you? Well, as you must know, you were my 2nd mentor. We first met 30 years ago this summer when Winston, the cameraman took me and 5 of my friends to watch the taping of Good Morning New York and you decided to speak with us and then invite us to watch the taping of Eyewitness News where you were also the Sports Anchor. We became fast friends visiting often and my mother adored you! Because of you I got to be your Sports intern one summer, Bob Blanchard's Consumer Unit intern, intern to the NY Yankees Director of Media Relations (Joe Safety) as well as a Sports Assistant in Los Angeles at KABC. Years later while teaching you visited 2 schools I worked at and allowed me to come weekly to the Good Morning America set with Middle Schooler's from Harlem so they could watch a live news broadcast.
Since your move to San Francisco a very long time ago I have not seen you although we have kept an email relationship going... What I feel compelled to tell you now is you were my other mentor, probably the most influential person outside of family I have ever known. I did not want to wait and then poof it is too late to let you know. This past week I have mourned a loss/rejoiced a life but George will never truly know his imprint on me. Spencer, I could not let this happen twice!!!
I promise going forward all of my emails will stay light and breezy. You don't have to worry about me acting like this again, but life is short and my new attitude is tell everyone you know how you feel about them before it is too late, don't just assume that they know.
Spencer Christian, you were my mentor, you are forever my friend. You have left an indelible imprint on my brain. I will always love and cherish our friendship!!!!!
XOXO ,
Van
Vanessa Cooper Dampf
All of us have a thousand wishes. Parkinson's and cancer patients have one wish, to kick Parkinson's or cancer's ass. In honor of someone who has died, or is fighting these dreadful diseases please post this for at least one hour.
George Trautwein, I will love you forever and a piece of my heart is gone with you. Rest in peace my teacher, my mentor, my friend.
I will never forget George Trautwein, he was by far the greatest gift Blind Brook District 5 ever gave its residents! Where do I begin? I have so many Uncle Trauty stories that I could probably write a very long book so I will just write about some of my more memorable moments...
7th grade I met Trauty and that is when he began calling me Ethel Merman. At the time I did not know who she was but he said I was a young Ethel Merman and when I sang I belted just like her. Years later I still love listening to her on the Broadway station and always smile and think about Mr. T when I hear her voice!
In 11th grade Mr. Trautwein decided to change me from an alto to a soprano even though I could not reach the notes at that time. I am grateful that he did that because later that year (and the following year as well) I was chosen to NYSSSA (NY State Summer School of the Arts at Fredonia State College) as one of NY's Top 25 High School Sopranos (an honor that has stayed with me). From that experience I met the great Marge Rivington, formidable Broadway Vocal Coach, who went on to work with me. How fortunate I was to have studied voice with 2 of the best...
Years later I visited Mr. T. at Blind Brook and he read me the riot act for not entering the music world and strongly (surely you all can read between the lines) he suggested I move to Nashville and become a Christian singer. Singers like Amy Grant were now mainstreamed vocalists and he said I would sail up the charts and that was my niche. Perhaps foolishly I did not listen to him (not the first time either) and I never moved to Nashville. I often wonder if he was right and if the Jewish girl from Rye Brook could have made it big, but then I look at my family and I am happy with my decision because I have a wonderful husband and two amazing boys of my own.
I will forever love you and miss you Uncle Trauty. You may not have known this while you were alive but you truly helped shape me into a better person and I thank you for so many memories. God speed...
A letter I just wrote a friend of mine. I believe more than anything we must all reach out to the people who have meant the most to us through the years and this is what I said:
Hi Spencer,
Please forgive me because I am about to get terribly sappy and may ramble on a bit and not use proper grammar or syntax but feel compelled to do so all the same...
Over a week ago I lost my first mentor, George Trautwein. Perhaps you've read Matt Miller's tribute in the Washington Post or saw his tribute Friday on the Dylan Rattigan program when he guest anchored or even heard his tribute on NPR... If not I will give you a brief description and then explain why I am telling you all of this.
George was my choir teacher/director/mentor back at Blind Brook Junior/Senior HS and he was probably the 1st person to truly believe in me and inspire me to do better. I kept in touch with him for a while but by the early 90's I stopped visiting him. I always loved him and sometimes shared stories with others I went to school with or friends who never had to privilege of knowing him but I never reached out. Now he is gone (just shy of 81) and over the past week I have been mourning his death and rejoicing his life with over 400 former friends and strangers who were also touched by George, many from the 1960's in the small town of Goldsboro, NC who read Matt's article and then joined our Facebook page. We are all hoping that one day his life story will be made into a movie.
How does all of this relate back to you? Well, as you must know, you were my 2nd mentor. We first met 30 years ago this summer when Winston, the cameraman took me and 5 of my friends to watch the taping of Good Morning New York and you decided to speak with us and then invite us to watch the taping of Eyewitness News where you were also the Sports Anchor. We became fast friends visiting often and my mother adored you! Because of you I got to be your Sports intern one summer, Bob Blanchard's Consumer Unit intern, intern to the NY Yankees Director of Media Relations (Joe Safety) as well as a Sports Assistant in Los Angeles at KABC. Years later while teaching you visited 2 schools I worked at and allowed me to come weekly to the Good Morning America set with Middle Schooler's from Harlem so they could watch a live news broadcast.
Since your move to San Francisco a very long time ago I have not seen you although we have kept an email relationship going... What I feel compelled to tell you now is you were my other mentor, probably the most influential person outside of family I have ever known. I did not want to wait and then poof it is too late to let you know. This past week I have mourned a loss/rejoiced a life but George will never truly know his imprint on me. Spencer, I could not let this happen twice!!!
I promise going forward all of my emails will stay light and breezy. You don't have to worry about me acting like this again, but life is short and my new attitude is tell everyone you know how you feel about them before it is too late, don't just assume that they know.
Spencer Christian, you were my mentor, you are forever my friend. You have left an indelible imprint on my brain. I will always love and cherish our friendship!!!!!
XOXO ,
Van
Vanessa Cooper Dampf
All of us have a thousand wishes. Parkinson's and cancer patients have one wish, to kick Parkinson's or cancer's ass. In honor of someone who has died, or is fighting these dreadful diseases please post this for at least one hour.
George Trautwein, I will love you forever and a piece of my heart is gone with you. Rest in peace my teacher, my mentor, my friend.
