{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Crescendo Conversations","title":" A Life of Crises: Rick Brennan on Purpose, Pressure, and What Endures","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3375,"description":"Rick Brennan spent two decades inside the world's worst humanitarian crises — including managing the response to Ebola outbreaks — later serving as a Regional Director of Emergency Operations at the World Health Organization. He's met Mother Teresa. He once called a 350-year-old house in France home. And later in life, he found love — a self-described \"late bloomer\", building a personal practice around travel to the world's most remote places, spirituality, and mindfulness. \nIn this episode of Crescendo Conversations, Rick shares the pieces of music that trace his journey — where his sense of purpose was first formed, the weight of decisions made under pressure, what remains unchanged beneath systems, policies, and global complexity, and what he hopes still matters, and endures, beyond him. \nThree of his four songs are heard here as original piano interpretations by host Zen Zeng. The fourth belongs to the full conversation on YouTube — a moment better watched than described. \nCrescendo Conversations is an interview series where senior leaders in high-stakes, high-pressure careers reveal the human being behind the title, through the music that shaped their identity, career and life.  \nHosted by Dr. Zen Zeng, concert pianist, conference interpreter, and Amazon best-selling author. \nWatch the full episode, including the piece not featured here, on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@crescendowithzenWeekly reflections + curated piano: SubstackCrescendo with Zen | SubstackJoin a Pause & Play evening: LumaCrescendo with Zen · Events CalendarInstagram @crescendowithzenLinkedIn Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/zenzeng","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/_EGkS0kMIVqWDm5C4h5L3GEQLbAnprpNCDXW0H8tIQY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mY2Vl/YTJkMGFlMjUzMjQ2/MjJiOGY5Y2Y5MWIx/ZDMzOS5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}