Below are some reflections from alumni who worked with Dr. Rabin in the late 1950's and 1960's...

"I remember Marvin Rabin as a lovely, capable man, brilliantly pulling
the best music out of a bunch of disorganized adolescents. When we
played Buckner’s 4^th symphony, he called “Grapefruits, pineapples,
grapefruits, pineapples, to the trumpets and trombones. I still hear
duplets and triplets in his voice with those syllables. When we played
the Beethoven 9th Symphony with some members of the BSO, we sweated
bowing the opening theme, with irregular results. “Listen and feel the
beat,” he said. Once we were in Symphony Hall, the beat was throbbing
through the stage, carrying our bows in rivers of sixteenths, just as
Dr. Rabin had promised."

-Theo Colburn, cello, 1964

"There is no question that my love of orchestral playing all started with
Marvin Rabin. His passion was contagious, and his exhortations to do our
very best inspired me to always reach further than I thought I could go.
Even though many specific events are now pretty hard for me to recall in
detail - including the remarkable concert on the White House lawn, when we
played for the Kennedys - I will never forget how much I both feared and
loved this remarkable teacher. That we can honor Marvin for his five decades
of dedication to musical pedagogy and young people around the world brings
me great joy."

-Judy Norsigian, cello, 1966

"There are many words to describe him-  masterful, charismatic,
enthusiastic, energetic, dynamic-but no words can describe what it
was like to be a member of GBYSO with Dr. Rabin as your conductor.
You just had to be there to experience it.  It was like being zapped
by a baton which threw out electric shocks; such was the power of his
conducting.  I truly feel sorry for those who will never know the thrill and
excitement of playing in an orchestra conducted by Dr. Rabin.  This
was a turning point in my life."

-Virginia Gotham Neikrug, violin, 1964  

"I'm a 1968 graduate of GBYSO, and spent 4 years of Saturday mornings
9-12 AM as a violinist. I was joined by 2 sisters, as well as a future
brother in law (John Adams!).  I was in the orchestra when we played at
the White House, and also at Carnegie Hall.

Numerous times over the years, when I've had to recall a single most
impressionable time -- or person --in my life, I have *always* spoken of
Marvin Rabin. I've tried to finger exactly why I was so impressed and
influenced by him.  It is hard.

Marvin had a rare quality.  Total love of music.  Total love of us.
Critical, but NOT judgemental. No guilt. High standards.  He assumed we
would practice.  I think we all did, and not from fear.  We seriously
wanted to give the best we could, because he asked for it.  In a loving
way.  I'll never forget as we sat on the stage at Carnegie Hall, and he
looked up into the gorgeous ceiling, and looked out at us with the most
radiant smile and just told us to look up and feel the beauty of the
place and feel the beauty in our music.  I think often of that experience.

I still play the violin in an orchestra in Boston. I will never ever
ever forget the GBYSO experience, and Marvin Rabin.  He allowed me to
see and experience the beauty of working together in an orchestra, and
the beauty of music.  No conductor during my long life has has ever
showed me in quite the same way."

-Diane Currens d'Almeida, 1968

"Marvin Rabin and GBYSO completely carved out my life. Playing in an orchestra of such high quality, with a conductor who was as dynamic, demanding, knowledgeable and passionate as Marvin Rabin was the beginning of my life-career as a musician. Music has become my oxygen. It is my life. All these years later, having played under so many different conductors, I was compelled to write to Rabin some years ago, that he remained the Greatest Conductor I had ever known. It was the combination of GBYSO and Joel Lazar who guided me to play in theHarvard Radcliffe Orchestra for many years. It was this experience which led me to study with the amazing Leslie Parnas and receive a degree in cello performance in 1970, from BU, which led me further into the world of absolute TRUE music making. An education like this does not happen to many people. Then, when he brought in the amazing Michael Steinberg, who gave a talk at one rehearsal, I was completely enchanted with the highest source of musical knowledge I recognized it. He is still one of my greatest sources of musical understanding and a great friend.
The final glory was Marvin Rabin introducing us to Bruckner. The  opening of the Fourth Symphony took my intellect and heart to a level I never knew was possible. That tremolando for the cellos with the French horns playing a sublime line, was a trip to a new galaxy. I will never be able to thank this man, and that orchestra, enough.

With the greatest admiration and LOVE, I send this to remember Marvin Rabin."

Katrina Currens Reinhardt, 1962

I played in the trombone section in 1962 /1963. The New World Symphony was on the program with lots of exciting brass work. To this day, I can remember the way Mr. Rabin would key our section, with a particular intense stare that made each of us feel he was looking just at you! He somehow made us all keenly aware we were going to play our very best for him …and we did! In other ways, his gentle manner and professional attitude showed us all an example of someone we could look up to and emulate in our lives. I can tell you this has not diminished for me even though I have not seen Marvin for forty four years. I feel so honored to have known him.  Thank you.

Bill Hodgens, Trombone, 1963