Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Throwing Ed Benyas under the bus - the guy is just lucky

Went to the concert last night, and it was really good. But I have to admit, the whole concert I was thinking that anyone can do what Ed does. How hard it is? You have a bunch of well trained musicians (most of them do it for free), you have the faculty of the music school sitting in the first chairs. We could probably pick a kid out of the audience and have then conduct couldn't you?

The summer music festival that Ed created and drives every year, just luck. Anyone in that position could have done it. Big deal, he is taking the Symphony around to other towns and exposing them to classical music and building goodwill for SIU. Anyone with that conductors job could do it. We should give him no credit for creating a music festival.

Ed was lucky to get the job, lucky to have good players, he deserves no credit for the final product. We could get a part time conductor and be fine.

Does anyone think Ed is doing a good job? I think he is just lucky.

Your comments are welcome.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeez-us Peter. First Chris Lowery now Ed Benyas. Yeah, it is easy. Just like it was easy for you to do the software engineer thing and make a few bucks. Simple. Lets see...who's next? I know, its easy to do what Rodney Jones does...throw some words on the paper, make 'em rhyme and someone gives you $100,000. Any fool can do it, even you. Once you've got your 100,000, ask Ed if you can take the over orchestra for the summer. The music festival will be over in time to start basketball practice. Lets see if you can get 'em in the top 20 by this time next year. In the meantime, I'm going to try my hand at creating a lame software business and see if I can get someone to buy it out.

Parentheticus said...

It appears that Anonymous#1 has missed Peter's intended irony. I think Peter is saying that guys like Lowrey and Benyas and Cole and, yes, Peter Gregory are NOT just lucky but they work hard.
signed, lucky dave

Anonymous said...

Peter, are you doing this along with the Chris Lowery post to make a point about Brad.? If you are, then kudos. If not, then I think there's an analogy here in that Shelia supporters seem to think that Carbondale's recent improvements would have happened without Brad and he's just lucky to be mayor during the last few years. That's not correct, of course, since leadership and good decisions are responsible for success (same with Lowery, and in business, and maybe with Ed the conductor but I don't know him).

Anonymous said...

Well, anonymous #1 here, maybe I did miss the intended irony and I apologize if I did. I'm probably trying to say what Peter was trying to say, that to be successful, you have to work hard. There is way more to it that what anyone sees on the surface. Sure Ed stands up there and waves his stick around. But I know there's a bunch of work that goes into that stick waving. So, Peter, you and I agree. Hard work is what it's all about. Some luck, too, you'll have to admit. But for the most part, you make your own luck. I must now get back to creating my software company!!!

PeterG said...

As everyone has figured out by now, this was the second in a series of posts about superstars and luck. Thank you for reading, it was fun.