JAVS Summer 2026

“Richard is like a camel,” recalled then-Foundation executive director Ann Murray. “Once he’s under the tent, he’s in.” Initially participating as a volunteer in the DIY Messiah orchestra, Young gradually assumed larger responsibilities, including taking over as concertmaster, leading string sectionals, mentoring young musicians, organizing educational programming, and helping shape outreach initiatives—all on a voluntary basis. Stanley Sperber, longtime conductor of the Chicago DIY Messiah before its final performances in 2019, praised Young’s ability to communicate musical ideas effectively: “The players respond immediately to his coaching. He communicates the nuances of string playing better than anyone I’ve ever worked with.” Young’s contributions extended beyond the DIY Messiah performances. He recruited guest artists, collaborated on educational programming for the Chicago Public Schools, coached advanced students for Myra Hess recitals, and encouraged young musicians to participate in performances at nursing homes and other community venues. Consistent with The Deal, he viewed musical achievement not as an end in itself, but as an opportunity to serve others. As Murray observed, “He was always concerned about getting them to give back, to be aware of folks without a lot of advantages. He felt strongly it shouldn’t just be about ‘me me me and my career.’”

By the 1990s, the principles behind The Deal had expanded far beyond a single conversation with a young African-American teenager. They had become a defining feature of Young’s work as a performer, teacher, mentor, and advocate for music education. Mentoring Beyond the Teaching Studio During his years with the Vermeer Quartet, Young increasingly devoted his energy to mentoring promising young musicians he encountered through competitions, festivals, and educational programs. While the students varied widely in background and ability, his approach remained consistent: identify potential, encourage excellence, and insist that musical achievement be accompanied by a larger commitment. He organized a piano trio of talented 20-year-olds and coached them every day for two weeks in preparation for a Myra Hess concert he’d arranged for them. Backstage after their performance, Young invited them out, to what they assumed would be a celebratory meal at a downtown Chicago restaurant. Instead, he drove them to a facility on the city’s North Side for severely handicapped children. When they got there, they sat on the floor and played together with the kids. The poignant experience left a lasting impression. The group’s pianist, Tomo Matsuo, initially dismissed Young’s emphasis on giving back, but soon changed his mind. “Richard was a teacher in the larger sense. He connected the music, the standing ovations, the adulation, to the bigger world.”

Figure 3. Vermeer Quartet, ca. 1992.

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, Summer 2026 Online Issue