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Thank you for these kind words and for what I truly consider to be a great honor.
About a week ago, I listened to Yo-Yo Ma speak to a number of trustees of the Chicago Symphony.
He said he met Pablo Casals, the world’s most greatly acclaimed cellist, when he, Yo-Yo,
was 9 years old.
Casals told him, “First I’m a human being. Then I’m a musician. And then I’m a cellist.”
If your Grinnell College has been like mine was, you are graduating today as more of a
human being than when you first arrived here.
You may or may not know in what genre you plan to spend your life, 0:01:15:990,0:01:17:100 but Casals’ relegated
cellist to his third category, that of a technician, who constantly was practicing and working
to improve.
Mr. Casals’ categorical rankings had young Yo-Yo wide-eyed, at the time, he said.
The world, however, has seen since the great human being that Pablo Casals’ influence
developed.
I believe that Grinnell College strongly influenced my lifelong work toward becoming a human being.
I congratulate each of you, too, upon receiving an impressive start on this journey.
Thank you.