‘Your role is to lead by example’ - Edwin Barker’s life lessons

I still remember one of my early teachers, Angelo LaMariana, telling our music class: ‘Are you a quitter, or are you going to push through and work to your ability?’ That was when I really decided to stick with bass playing. He was a no-nonsense disciplinarian, much like Henry Portnoi, one of my great influences later on. He was then principal bass of the Boston Symphony and I studied with him at the New England Conservatory. I always remember the silence after the first time I played for him, after which he said: ‘Well… you should be very successful,’ before ripping me to shreds! He was teaching at a very high level…