Some of Allan Friedman's friends jokingly left him noon-hour phone messages at his office at Duke University this week asking how he could be out to lunch when he was supposed to be operating on Sen. Edward Kennedy's brain.
For this week, the 1995 Duluth East High School graduate is clearly the "other Dr. Allan Friedman" on the staff of the university in Durham, N.C.
Medical Dr. Allan Friedman led a team of doctors who conducted brain surgery on Kennedy on Monday to remove a tumor. The musical Dr. Allan Friedman from Duluth is the Duke University Chapel assistant director and administrative coordinator for the chapel choir and vespers ensemble.
Friedman was back in town Wednesday to present the commencement address for East High School at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
"It's quite an honor," the 31-year-old Friedman said Wednesday afternoon. "I don't necessarily feel completely worthy of it. I feel like there are people who could impart a little more wisdom than me and have a little more life experience, but at the same time, I think that hopefully I'll be able to keep them interested in what I have to say and offer some wisdom."
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Friedman was a student for all seasons at East. He epitomized the term "student-athlete." He had a 4.0 grade-point-average, scored in the 99th percentile of high school students in the American College Testing program, was a national Merit semifinalist, played on the school's varsity basketball and baseball teams and sang tenor with both the school's A Cappella Choir and its select 16-member Choralaires. He acted in school plays and taught a Sunday School class at Temple Israel.
He has focused his attention on music and other scholarly pursuits since then. He earned his bachelor's degree in ethnomusicology at Duke, his master's in musicology from the University of North Carolina and a doctorate of musical arts from Boston University. He also studied at the University of Natal, Durban, in South Africa.
While at Boston University, he conducted the school's Women's Chorus and its Repertory Chorus. He wrote his dissertation on Russian Jewish Choral Music from St. Petersburg circa 1905-25.
Friedman, who is single, said East High School provided him an excellent background in the arts that helped prepare him for future endeavors and gave him the skills necessary to succeed.
"I'm just honored to be able to pass on the knowledge that's been imparted to me," he said. "I'm standing on the shoulders of those who came before me."
He said the title of his address is "Thirteen of My Teachers." He planned to talk about what life was like 13 years ago when he graduated from high school and 13 different people who affected his life in a positive way. He said three of those people are current East High School teachers -- Warren Bender, Cindy Grindy and Sandy Jablonski.
He said he and the medical doctor often have to exchange misrouted e-mails and phone calls that were meant for the other Allan Friedman. "Oftentimes the call is for Dr. Friedman," he said. "That's me. Then they say, 'We have a patient coming in for surgery tomorrow,' and I say, 'That's not me.' "
Friedman was looking forward to another familiar name before making Wednesday's address. "Anytime I come to town, I have to go and get some Sammy's Pizza," he said.
