As he steps onto the stage, the anxiety builds in the stomach of Yotom Rabinowitz. He sits at the piano in front of hundreds of people, accompanied by six other musicians, ready to preform as an opening act for the Buffalo Philharmonic.
The nerves settle in his stomach as he put on a mask of pure concentration that glistens with the sweat of focus, while his fingers glide naturally across the piano keys as the effortless task of making music consumes him.
Once his performance ends, he doesn't get to relax. He is bothered by thoughts of kinetics and equilibriums. He has a chemistry exam coming up and to him, that test is more important than any musical performance.
Rabinowitz, a freshman biomedical science major, puts his current passion of music aside to preserve the purity of it. He'd rather not see his love of the arts ruined by attempting to pursue it as a career. Instead, he chases his childhood dream of becoming a dentist. He is in the BD/DDS Combined Degree Program on a strict seven-year track to fulfilling that dream.
He thinks that if he goes into the music field, he will be forced to learn the practical side of the music business and perform at places that he wouldn't want to just because he will be a "starving artist in need of money."
He works hard to connect his passion for music alongside his desire to be a dentist. For him, the concept of working with his hands and the delicate movements of his fingers is what connect the two seemingly unalike subjects.
"Music is an emotional outlet as well as a form of intellectuality," Rabinowitz said. "Not having that would mean that I would have a totally different way of approaching life, therefore, I would be a totally different person…Losing [music] would be like losing a friend. It is simply something that penetrates my mind always."
At 12 years old, Rabinowitz was watching his older brother Edon play the guitar and knew that he wanted to join him. Instead of picking the same instrument, he chose the piano.
From playing his first arrangement of songs from the movie Love Story to his recent interest in the classical genre, the urge to make music has stuck with him throughout life.
As a new college student, keeping the balance between science and the arts is trickier than ever for Rabinowitz.
He maintains that balance by filling up his free time with productive activities. When he isn't in class, he is studying for an upcoming test, practicing for an upcoming performance, or at the gym working out. He leaves a small amount of time to socialize with his friends.
"It's hard to balance preparing for a performance as well as studying for tests and kind of switching back and forth constantly. It drains you intellectually," Rabinowitz said. "But when people say, ‘I don't have time,' I think that's an exaggerated statement because you could fit anything into a schedule and you could make the time to do anything."
Having moved to America nine years ago from Tel Aviv, Israel, the values of education and hard work have always been major aspects in the Rabinowitz family. Growing up, Rabinowitz was surrounded by a family of health professionals. From his early years, he witnessed his parents' work as an occupational therapist and a physical therapist. As he got older, he watched his two brothers enter the respected fields as well. With Edon only one month away from becoming a doctor and his other brother Daniel on his way to becoming a lawyer, Rabinowitz feels the pressure of his family. "My hard work ethic stems from them," Rabinowitz said. "My desire to help others, to treat patients, and to be a health worker is from the fact I am surrounded by it. I learned to prioritize what's important from what's not."
While he kindled his musical urge, he continued to work hard throughout his middle and high school years, knowing that he would eventually go to a good college to pursue his career in dentistry.
This work ethic is one that Rabinowitz tries hard to apply to both his music and his biology. It has helped him survive the 41 total credits he is taking his freshman year. "Yotom has an exemplary work ethic that is illustrated through his awards, performances, and grades," said Vrinda Tarneja, a freshman biomedical science major and the only other freshman in the BS/DDS program at UB with Rabinowitz. "His music is extremely touching and very heartfelt. He should definitely keep piano in his life, if not as a career choice but as a continued passion and pastime."
No matter where his life takes him, Rabinowitz aims to continue making smiles – as a dentist or a musician.
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
