48 Resonate
Benjamin Zander has a contagious passion for classical
music. Motivational speaker and conductor of the Boston
Philharmonic Orchestra, he’s intent on persuading
everyone to fall in love with classical music. And during
his 2008 TED talk, the audience was visibly moved
toward that end.
If you haven’t yet seen this presentation, please watch
it! Go to TED.com and search for Benjamin Zander to
see this master communicator in action. www Less than
a minute into the presentation, the audience is already
responding to its content. They laugh early and often.
He energetically engrosses the audience several ways:
Structural Contrast:• Zander gracefully shifts between
what is and what could be by establishing a clear
gap between those in the audience who already
passionately love classical music and those who
feel it’s simply like second-hand smoke at the air-
port. He’s determined not to leave the room until
everyone is in love with classical music.
Delivery Contrast:• He contrasts his delivery several
ways. He alternates between speaking and playing
the piano. He physically involves the audience by
having them sing. He moves from the stage into the
audience several times, even touching the faces of
the audience members! He also uses large gestures
and dramatic facial expressions.
Case Study: Benjamin Zander
TED Talk
Emotional Contrast:• Zander tells several stories;
some evoke laughter—some, tears. Though they
alternate between funny and touching, each one
connects the hearts of the listeners to the mate-
rial and moves them (emotionally and behaviorally)
toward loving classical music.
Like all great mentors, Zander gives the audience
members a special tool: he teaches them how to listen
to the music. They learn to identify impulses and chord
progressions. He trains their ears in music theory. Many
in the audience haven’t loved classical music because
they were unable to hear the layers of beauty within it.
Zander unfolds these layers for them.
Zander brilliantly uses the music as the message as he
elicits and connects with listeners’ emotions. Having
trained their ears to recognize the sense of longing
created by an unresolved chord, he then goes straight
for the heart. He asks them to remember a loved one
who is no longer with them as he replays a piece by
Chopin. This is the S.T.A.R. moment (page 148) in the
presentation. Possibly for the first time in their lives,
the audience can hear the longing in the music, and
they are deeply moved.
Zander demonstrates all the components of a perfect
presentation form, which is annotated on page 50.
CH002.indd 48CH002.indd 48 8/16/10 9:01:16 AM8/16/10 9:01:16 AM
Benjamin Zander
Conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra
CH002.indd 49CH002.indd 49 8/16/10 9:01:21 AM8/16/10 9:01:21 AM
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.