Mancini Institute Piece Strikes a Sour Note

Don Heckman’s critique (in his “All That Jazz” column, Aug. 16) of the goals and ambitions of the Henry Mancini Institute in the wake of founder Jack Elliott’s untimely death last year needs to be addressed. While praising the high musical skills of the orchestral talent, Heckman takes several major swipes at the programming of this summer’s concerts under the leadership of the extremely talented and highly respected Patrick Williams, the institute’s new artistic director.

“What was missing,” Heckman wrote, “was focus--as though Williams had tossed as many thematic notions as possible into the programming in the hope that they would somehow, on their own, coalesce into a meaningful thematic basis for the future.”

I have read that sentence 10 times and have yet to figure out what it means, since, from the get-go under the direction of Elliott, the Mancini mission has been to present its students with a monthlong experience that will help them on their way to being professional, working musicians (and is, by all accounts, succeeding at that brilliantly thus far) by exposing them to the broadest range of music to prepare them for that eventuality.

In that context, Heckman’s criticism simply does not fly.

Heckman goes on, “What’s needed is a firmer sense of guidance and direction involving decisions over whether the institute intends to simply present its scholarship musicians with a pleasant summer month encountering eclectic but not always challenging pieces of music.”

Is Heckman suggesting that the film compositions of Henry Mancini, Erich Korngold, Elmer Bernstein, Andre Previn, Bernard Herrmann; John Williams’ outstanding, evocative score from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”; and Johnny Mandel’s brilliantly reorchestrated suite from “I Want to Live” are not challenging?

Or that the music of Django Reinhardt, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Gunther Schuller, Claus Ogerman, Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Childs--not to mention the compositions by the institute’s seven very talented student composers--are somehow to be classified as lightweight fare?

What could be more challenging than the nine concerts--ranging from full orchestra, to chamber orchestra, to big band, and various smaller groups--in just over three weeks? There is not an orchestra in the land--amateur or professional--that is put to such a test, whether it is under the direction of Elliott or Williams.

Heckman saves his meanest swipe for last in bringing up--for the second time, following an earlier review--what he perceives as a lack of racial and gender diversity in the composition of the 80-person orchestra, quoting John Clayton as saying, “Hank [Mancini] was a pioneer in helping integrate the studios, as was Jack [Elliott],” implying by his omission that Williams does not share that commitment.

I suggest that Heckman ask John Clayton directly how he personally feels about Williams, who, after all, commissioned John to write a piece for the season finale, which showcased the prodigious pianistic talents of Clayton’s son, Gerald--who, by the way, is African American, like his gifted father.

Allan Burns is a TV and film writer and producer who co-created “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda” and “Lou Grant.” He is a board member of the Henry Mancini Institute and lives in Los Angeles.