Book
Carol was the third woman admitted to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where she went on to play the cello for 38 years. Always on a spiritual quest, she learned to do healing and in the desert discovered her true transcendent self. Retiring from the orchestra and the Boston Pops, she became an acclaimed photographer and collagist. And along the way, she turned down a Fulbright and was arrested for planning to blow up a college!
It’s an exciting story, and in her memoir, More Than Music, Carol Procter shares the many stories of her life—until she was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s and she made courageous choices about how to live going forward.
Here’s what people are saying about the book…
Not only is Carol Procter one of my all-time favorite cellists, she is as knowledgeable and tasteful a person as she is an artist. As a long-time member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra, she infused her own high integrity to the entire group and was an inspiration to work with. As a cellist, she possesses a warm and personal sound that never failed to approach spiritual depth. I always greatly enjoyed accompanying her and am proud to have conducted her first two concerto performances with the orchestra.
The world of professional orchestras may seem remote and esoteric to many people, and Carol’s memoirs are sure to open a door and bring refreshing light to this fascinating realm of art and music.
—John Williams, composer, conductor
I just read your book in one sitting. Your immensely rich life and spirit is present throughout the book, as is your unquenchable thirst for adventure, spiritual understanding, and honesty. For those that seek to live full lives, your journey is a source of inspiration, a great an example of joining head and heart together, leading you to search for beauty and love. As a colleague, you exemplify all that I admire, your non-judgmental curiosity , your courage to speak truth, and your relentless pursuit of creating positive energy and exercising good citizenship, finding joy in creation and service.
—Yo-Yo Ma, cellist
Carol Procter, one of the world’s great cellists, tell her story with wit and humor. From sitting in jail to sitting in the cello section of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, her life encounters all kinds of unexpected adventures. After thirty-eight years in the orchestra she becomes a teacher and an artist. Wisdom and creativity never stops.
—David Borden, jazz musician
Any of these words are how I think of my dear sister Carol: heartfelt, generous, and inspirational. She has been a lighthouse for me in this life on many occasions.
—Taylor Pie, country musician
One of the most inspirational and gifted artists of all creative modes that I’ve known.
—Thomas Cooper, Emissary and professor of visual and media arts, Emerson College