On Oct. 28, Dotan Nitzberg, an Israeli musician, delighted a young audience with classical music by Chopin, Mozart and Liszt at Memorial Hall.
Nitzberg came to New Brunswick to complete his doctoral dissertation in education at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). As a musician and researcher, he wanted to share his musical performances to communicate his ideas nonverbally, including his most appreciated musical pieces and an original composition.
“My way of expressing myself in my own natural, musical language is to say to those people who not only misread and misinterpreted me but who also malevolently wished for my failure: shame on you.”
Nitzberg, who identifies as twice-gifted autistic (2GA), said his determination to pursue a PhD in education stemmed from music and education always being part of his life. He also shared his ongoing efforts to raise awareness about 2GA in the educational and employment sectors.
He said it’s been a process of regaining self-confidence after years of teachers bringing him down.
Nitzberg graduated from a musical conservatory in Moscow and then pursued music studies in the United States. He shared that because his parents always exposed him to all sorts of music genres from a young age, he developed a unique relationship with music.
He recalls his first memory of playing the piano from a hospital bed, where he had been rushed to after experiencing a severe stress reaction.
“People with 2GA have a very charged system and nobody knew back then what it was all about,” he said. “My father went to a toy shop nearby and bought me a toy piano and from the moment he placed it near my pillow on my hospital bed, not only was I fascinated by it, but my condition improved steadily.”
Nitzberg followed his passion for piano when he was five but struggled to find the right teacher to support him. When he turned 10, he found a talented pianist in the south of Israel and she took him under her wing until he was 22.
“She heard me and she was one of the very first who identified my potential,” he said.
While in a casual gathering with his mom and friends, Nitzberg heard about a university that could align with his learning style. He thought UNB’s education system would be ideal for him.
“[UNB] encourages and welcomes people who are unusual learners and unusual thinkers,” he said. “I feel honoured, privileged and no less important.”
Nitzberg said society should not take people with 2GA for granted since all of the challenges they struggle with stem from their strengths.
“One must never lose hope because little by little, with a lot of goodwill and a lot of patience from both sides … things will align,” said Nitzberg.
He believes a strong foundation for positive growth in the psychological and educational fields could be established with proper guidance.
Nitzberg decided to pursue his PhD in music and education due to his own experiences, which led him to develop a research study on the intersections of music, education and the life experiences of a 2GA adult.
When thinking about his plans after graduating with his doctorate program, he said he plans to keep playing and harnessing his musical and verbal abilities.
