Vic Firth. I spent one summer studying with Vic, and we became real good friends. He liked me, and that helped me probably get into Tanglewood. The first rehearsal, Seiji Ozawa comes into the Shed wearing a white flowing garment, his hair was immaculate, and he just stared at us. He looked at the first chair violinist and asked,“ What are we performing today?” Seiji’ s acting like he didn’ t know. But he had every score memorized. The violinist said,“ Well, we’ re doing this and this.” And Seiji said,“ Let’ s do the Ravel.” Hands went up like the most menacing fighter jet, with the snarly face and his wings out. He just held it there. We’ re like,“ Holy shit.” Then he started conducting. I’ ve never seen such movement. It was menacing and artful at the same time. He stopped after 20 seconds and completely ripped through every section of the orchestra. What he was doing was yielding his power. He immediately wanted to show everybody who he was, and this was how he was going to get his troops, his army, at attention. I’ m not holding your hand. I’ m not your daddy. I’ m not your teacher. I’ m Seiji Ozawa.
At the end of rehearsal, everybody scattered, and I was trying to pick everything up, and I heard people talking. It’ s Leonard Bernstein and Seiji. Seiji was on the podium, and Lenny had been in the audience watching. Seiji says,“ I don’ t understand this orchestra! They’ re not as good as they should be. They’ re supposed to be the most elite!” Lenny put his hand on his shoulder and says,“ They are the best, Seiji. Show some love and compassion, and they will play for you.” The first week’ s concert, the three percussionists from New England Conservatory get the timpani parts and played with Seiji.
The next week, the other three percussionists get to play timpani. Now it’ s the third week, and I’ m the only guy playing timpani. My mom’ s in the audience. I could see her crying. You know, they used to bring me to Tanglewood when I was young, I’ d be running around, and everybody would say,“ Shut up, kid! You’ re making noise.” Then I went and saw The Who there, and I saw Jethro Tull there, and I saw the Jefferson Airplane there. I used to be on the lawn smoking joints, watching Miles Davis open up for Santana. Now I’ m on stage in a tuxedo playing timpani with Leonard Bernstein, Sebelius’ Fifth Symphony. It was one of the most iconic, surreal moments of my life. I was 22.
The first time I played Kennedy Center Honors, I was in the house band that honored The Who and George Jones. After the dinner, I go up to Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend and say,“ Hey, you guys. Excuse me, I didn’ t mean to interrupt you at dinner, but I was the drummer tonight honoring you guys. I gotta tell you, I saw you at Tanglewood when I was 13.” And Pete Townsend goes,“ It’ s a Beautiful Day and Jethro Tull opened for us.” That was 1970, and he remembered.
ANASTASIA: Before Tanglewood, you were hanging out at the Music Inn. What moments stood out to you from that time? KENNY: I saw Bonnie Raitt there when she was 17. I have recorded and performed with Bonnie Raitt many times since then. I just saw her in Europe, when I was on tour and she announced my name to the audience. When I was 13, I carried the bags and
40 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Spring 2026