Christopher R. Zarba: A Curious Mind
nytimes.com
Christopher R. Zarba Jr. was just a baby when the Boston Pops performed a piece composed by his father, "Palm Sunday," in 1954. The younger Mr. Zarba inherited his family's musical genes, and grew up to be a talented pianist and French horn player who performed with local symphonies in his free time. He even married a fellow horn player, Sheila Kiernan.
Mr. Zarba, 47, lived with his wife and young son, Christopher James, in Hopkinton, Mass., before he boarded American Airlines Flight 11. A software engineer by profession, he also painted, gardened, and learned to speak German and Italian fluently. He was perpetually curious, and even keeping algebra and calculus books around the house to read for pleasure.
"He was always investigating," said his only brother, Joe Zarba.
To remember Mr. Zarba, his father, wife, and brother-in-law performed "Palm Sunday" last month with the Thayer Symphony Orchestra in Fitchburg, Mass. His uncle sang the national anthem. Mr. Zarba, who had played with the symphony for more than a decade, talked about performing his father's work, but never got the chance.
"I think Chris would have just loved it," Mrs. Zarba said |
