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Grand Maestro David Michael Wolff.
with a dance company, Wolff orchestrated
many concerts and fell in love with conducting.
Studying under Bruno Aprea, a Roman who had
an amazing way of teaching conducting, Wolff
loved his teacher who was a typical Italian full of
life and vitality, an old artist whose father was a
famous concert pianist. Not only did David fall
in love with conducting, but he also met his wife
named Young Mee, a Korean who is especially
gifted in the Italian repertoire. David who speaks
five different languages tells, “At home we
speak about half Korean and half English.”
Upon moving back to Manhattan, the
Wolff family welcomed their daughter
Rachel who inspired Wolff’s desire to
provide musical education to all children.
“Studies show,” begins Wolff, “That when
children hear their mother’s voice, the way
that they understand it physiologically is
the same way that humans process music.
A mother’s voice is music to the baby’s
ears!” Inspired by his own mother’s piano
playing, Wolff proclaims, “Music is joy;
music is empowerment. I believe that all
humans at their very core are musicians!”
Sharing the gift of music with all ages
has become the passion of the Carolina
Philharmonic.
In sharing music with children, Wolff
agrees, “You can definitely spot talent;
and the younger the children are, the
more talent you’ll see because they aren’t
blocked yet. They’re free! However spotting
musical talent isn’t the goal of the program.
The goal is to turn on something in these
kids’ minds that allows them to experience
everything in school and in life with a little
bit more color, vitality and creativity. If
you think of yourself as either a musician
or an artist, and you’re able to grow past
the age of ten and retain that, then it has
an amazing impact on what you’re able
to achieve! Life is all about creating your
pathway, creating your future and creating
your life work. Becoming a musician and
thinking of yourself as a musician helps
you claim control of yourself as a creative
individual which is key to success in life.”
As life would have it, while conducting a
production in North Carolina, Wolff and Young
Mee, a passionate soprano who sings with the
orchestra, drove through Pinehurst and fell
in love all over again. Having lived all over the
world from Washington state to NYC to Rome,
Wolff tells, “I never imagined I’d live in North
Carolina—in the South of all places! However
when I came to Pinehurst and saw the lake and
the friendly people waving, it reminded me of
where I grew up north of Seattle.”
David continues, “There are so many
wonderful things to love about Moore County
from the people, to the golf, to the many
different art organizations. We hope to be on the
list of favorite things people love about Moore
County.” With most of the funding coming from
private donations along with grants, ticket sales
and concert fees, the Carolina Philharmonic
remains a non profit, an individual based
supported program with active donors.
Now celebrating their tenth anniversary,
the Carolina Philharmonic continues to make
dreams come true! One of their ten–year goals
was to have a performing arts center for their
home base. Beginning this 2019-2020 season,
the concerts will be hosted within the Bradshaw
Performing Arts Center, a $5 million renovation
project at SCC, that includes a black box, the
Owens Auditorium, an outdoor Amphitheater
and so much more. In this respect the annual
fund-raiser is entitled, “Home Coming” as
the Philharmonic relocates to the Bradshaw
Performing Arts Center.
Offering season passes as well as tickets by
the concert, tickets can be purchased online
or by calling the box office. “The concerts will
fill up,” assures Kathy. “Owens offers 597 seats;
locals can secure their favorite seat for the season.”
As for the next ten years, Wolff smiles, “We
hope to do more of what we’re doing! We seek
to impact the lives of tens of thousands of more
kids over the years. In some small way, we hope
to have a positive impact on the quality of life in
Moore County.”
Wolff ponders, “Life is short, and life is
weighed by how much you’re able to impact
the lives of others. There are some people who
are able to impact ten times more than another.
Some people are able to reach a hundred,
some a thousand, or maybe even a million. My
goal in life is to multiply the value of my life
by impacting other people’s lives. If I reach a
hundred, then that’s pretty awesome!”
From a conductor who had a dream, to the
volunteers who serve, to the donors who give,
the Carolina Philharmonic continues to inspire
audiences. To “experience the joy of exceptional
music,” visit the box office today and let the
music begin! ☐
The Carolina Philharmonic Box Office
• 5 Market Square, Pinehurst
910-687-0287 • Carolinaphil.org
A Visit with Paul Dunn
Author of The Secret War Diaries of
Abraham Lincoln Including His Recurring Dreams.
In looking back over your 90 years, what
advice do you give young people? I don’t like
to give advice because I never took it. The world
is so different from when I grew up, it’s hard
to even describe it. I grew up during the Great
Depression, but I never suffered as I was fortunate
to have two very successful grandfathers. My
grandfather Leo Dunn became a Director of the
Graybar Company in Manhattan and built the
Graybar Building next to Grand Central Station.
My grandfather, Charles F. Hanser, founded the
Hanser-Churchill Advertising Agency in New
York City located in Rockefeller Center.
I do think it’s very important for people to
have many dimensions. For example, I start
every day with the New York Times. However,
people today don’t read newspapers; that’s a
bad sign for our future. I like people who read
newspapers, magazines and books.
Who has been your inspiration? I would
say my grandfather who was the advertising
man was my inspiration. My dad was also an ad
man, but he hated every minute of it. He died at
40, drank himself to death.
What do you think makes a good father?
I’ve seen some very bad ones, and I’ve seen
some very good ones. I think the important
thing is for the father not to necessarily have a
son following his footsteps. Each person has do
what he thinks will make them happy.
A good dad needs to be a loving person who
spends as much time as he can with his children.
What’s an important character trait of
a corporate man? I have worked with a lot
of top guys over the years in small companies,
large companies, companies who went broke,
companies who did well. I was president
of a company called GRI for 14 years. Good
leadership should realize there are people with
talent under them. Managing means looking
downward and not just upward.
Any advice for retirement? I never dug
retirement as a concept. Stay working. Stay
learning. Keep busy.
Finish this sentence: Life is…Definitely
not a bowl of cherries. However, I’ve been very
fortunate in my life to be surrounded by very
bright, giving people.
How would you describe the presidential
campaigns in the 1800s as compared to the
21st century? To begin with, Presidents didn’t
campaign; they were very modest about their
approach.
Moore County is…A fantastic place to live! ☐
For more on Paul Dunn, see Front Page story.
Paul Dunn
shares his book
with Mat & Wes.
p.32 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 136
/Carolinaphil.org