HOW DO YOU THANK A MENTOR,WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS?

On June 8th, 2009, the 27 year trek to obtain my Arts Degree is now complete...yeah! The celebration of achieving "my own personal goals in obtaining my BA" has been celebrated with my family and many friends. Four individuals within my "inner circle" were there at my convocation ceremonies; my parents, Bill and Doreen Walker, Elaine (my wife) and my dear friend and mentor Robert Cooper, C.M. and Artistic Director of several choirs in Ontario.

Mr Robert Cooper, C.M. is an Order of Canada receiptant who is also an internationally known Choral Conductor and has been my mentor for close to thirty years. Bruce Cockburn International musician and social activist combined with Hamilton native Shirley Elford (Glass Artist and designer of the Juno Awards) both received Honourary Doctorates at my convocation. It was an amazing day despite the rainy weather. Elaine deserves half of this degree, for putting up with me these last 10 years. As I have been talking and planning to complete this academic journey.

In 2010, Robert and I will celebrate a friendship of almost 30 years. Not only as mentor to mentee, Robert has supported my ups and downs in my life...as a close personal friend, he has watched me go through the good and the bad times with my ADHD disorder. I hope that this blog/note will be an encouragement to all of you, for the friends and associates that you know who have this disorder. Mentorship made all of the difference for me in achieving my goals!. Robert Cooper has stood by me, despite some very hard times in my life.

In 1980, this tall, gangly and almost a "scarecrow" type figure (me) connected with "Robert (or "Cooper" as we call him)" at a youth choral event in London, ON. This connection led to a friendship being formed as Cooper invited me to audition for his then Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir (TMYC). I was living in Dundas, ON (just outside of Hamilton) so I could get access into Toronto every Tuesday night to be a part of this choir. I made it into TMYC in 1980, and my two years being associated TMYC and with Robert Cooper, changed my life drastically! I grew as a musician, and as apprentice Arts Administrator being a part of Cooper’s choirs and its busy administration.

When I went off to The University of Western Ontario (UWO) in London, ON; I was accepted into the Faculty of Music Vocal program in 1982, this university was Cooper's alma mater. Already his influence in vocal and choral music was beginning to rub off on me. I enjoyed the vocal and choral ensembles that I was a part of and oh so much "stimulating music making" with many wonderful friendships and connections made then (from the student body); who are "now" movers and shakers of today's Canadian Classical Music Industry. Cooper and I were always in touch, if I had a new idea, or discovered some new organization or person that I thought that Robert should liaise with; we would connect on the phone as the flow of communications would continue between us. I could count on Cooper’s advice, when I needed to ask him to be a reference for a particular arts management position. He was always there to listen to my viewpoint or be that voice of wisdom; I then needed as I was moving to the next professional arts employment opportunity.

Academically, I was having problems into my second year, as I was doing very well with my performances courses, however my academic classes (such as music history, theory or other courses that required tests or exams...I would fail) UWO, at that time did not have special accommodations for learning disabled students, nor counsellors to work-with ADHD students. I had a difficult time in sharing with Robert, what actually were the problem areas with my academic studies? I didn’t know myself if it was my academic or if it was my “study skills issues”? These issues would later be discussed with Robert when I was diagnosed in 1997. My writing skills were a problem in getting me to advance to the next middle to senior administration level. Robert is a perfectionist when it comes to excellent communications and writing skills. He would proof read my letters or writings, giving me feedback if he felt that my work needed editing.

When I was diagnosed with ADHD, my disorder affected my writing skills NOT my verbal skills. When I started to use the aid of voice activated software and through a program called “Read and Write” this software would scan all of my written materials; then through voice activation, it would then be read back to me. I would then edit any problems areas that just didn’t look or sound right, gramatically to me. I may have left out a word or the paragraphs would not link properly due to my problem with syntax.

Robert was so intrigued by this process and encouraged me daily to use this new software. He could tell the difference when I would use it and when I didn’t. We used to have this joke between us that when I would submit something for him to proof or to submit professionally, he would say to me “did you check this document with your special thingy?” Due to the fact, that my writing skills have improved so much, I hardly have to scan my written work (unless it is a full report or something that needs to be professionally published.)

Robert Cooper has planted “good seeds” of self-esteem within me, in developing and demonstrating to me, how to maintain a high level of professionalism on the job. Robert constantly encouraged me to continue my pursuit of the passion and “zoë” for life; keeping the “creative flow of my passion for the arts,”combined with my resolving of administrative issues and my “outside of the box.”style of management. Cooper encouraged me to strive to develop areas within my personality, that I knew that I could “shine”. These areas are now: public relations, arts marketing, media accommodations and as of 2005, fundraising; which has provided for me to be employed and classified as an Arts Consultant.

In 2001,we reconnected again, when he asked me to become the TMYC Choir Manager for the remainder of what would be Cooper’s last season of 23 years with the organization as their Artistic Director. I was thrilled to be an alumni stepping back into this organization as Choir Manager and secondly to be working with Cooper again. In 2002, Robert Cooper became the Artistic Director /Conductor of the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and I have had the wonderful privilege of singing in this chorus and also aiding him and the Board of Directors with their arts marketing and fundraising needs for six years.

How do you describe a mentor these days? I think that you’ll agree that Robert Cooper has been a friend and an advocate to me in many ways despite my ADHD status. Is there someone in your circle that has blessed you, knowing about your abilities, or has been there as a professional and/or personal support system to you? Write them a letter of thanks or email…where would you be in your life without their support and/ or their influence? Do not be afraid to seek this person out, if you don’t have a mentor. Just by having someone, (besides a family member) speaking positivity into your life, has aided me to believe that I could achieve all of my own personal goals and ambitions.

Robert Cooper has been there to guide me and to be a door of encouragement when at times others were prepared to “write me off” once they knew of my learning disability. Having the strength to be vulnerable and asking someone to become your mentor is the first step. In my opinion, once the mentorship has begun, this process starts the catylst for developing your own self-esteem and your “own voice”. Despite whatever kind of learning or physical disability that you have. Mentorship meant all the world to me!