Dr. Ken Krenzel
Dean of the Parent Assembly Number One
October 2011
On October 3, 2011 The Board of Directors of the Parent Assembly voted Dr. Ken Krenzel the Dean of the Parent Assembly.
Let me tell you a little about our new PA#1 Dean. In the program that named him PA#1’s Magician of the Year this was written:
“Just as Mel Torme is frequently described as a ‘singer’s singer,’ Ken Krenzel is known to the magic fraternity as a ‘magician’s magician.’ While lay audiences may be amused, amazed, and enchanted by his magical effects, magicians are held in awe by the ease, smoothness and perfection with which he accomplishes his miracles.” These written words are as true today as they were almost 20 years ago
Ken Krenzel is a native New Yorker and was born and raised on the Lower East Side. At the age of seven he saw a marionette show at his school and in his words it started his “ life-long and passionate love of magic and all things magical” As a youngster, Ken became a charter member of F.A.M.E. (Future American Magical Entertainers) run by Dr. Abraham Hurwitz known as Peter Pan The Magic Man. This amazing group of young magicians would become major players in our magic world. They were Frank Garcia, Al Goshman, Jack London, Dr. Victor Sendax, and three other PA#1 Magicians of the Year – Howard Schwarzman, Harry Lorayne, and George Schindler, current S.A.M. National Dean. Among Ken’s group at the time were Lenny Greenfader and Mike Bornstein, whom he counted as close magical friends.
As Ken grew up he pursued the study of psychology in college and eventually earned a Ph.D. In addition, he is now well known as a leading exponent of expert sleight-of-hand with cards. He has published material in various magic journals: The Gen, Genii, MUM, Hugard’s Magic Monthly, Phoenix, Hierophant, Kabbala, Epilogue, New Jinx, Apocalypse, and the Minotaur. His art has been featured in books like The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel in 1978.
Harry Lorayne who published the book said of Ken “When Ken Krenzel performed the material in this book for me I knew then and there how good it was, and what a great contribution it’d be to the art I love – card magic”. Still producing gems like Ken Krenzel’s Relaxed Impossibilities published by Stephen Minch (March, 2010) his inventive genius seems to have no end. We at the Parent Assembly salute our new Dean whose creativity and grace humbles us all.
Taken from material from the PA#1 Archive and written by archivist Tom Klem
Upon receiving notice of his appointment Ken wrote the following:
“To My Dear S.A.M. PA # 1 Compeers:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bestowing the great honor of Dean upon me. In turn I’d like to share with you some of magic’s greatest secrets. Some of you may have already discovered them…and for those who have yet to discover; know that magic has opened its portals to eternal virtual youth to you. You’ll never have to worry about entering a second childhood because you wouldn’t have ever left the first. Moreover you won’t have to worry about FaceBook, because magic will bring you friends from all over the world…Friends you would have never dreamed of meeting. Magic transcends artificial divisions between children, teenagers, and adults. Magic will perennially energize your mental faculties and restore a childlike curiosity and sense of wonder. In the future I will also share the memories of those many masters of magic I have met and those little known secrets which will further enrich your lives. We are all united in one bond of kinship though this great wonderful art we love. Thank you again. I look forward to seeing you all in person at an upcoming PA # 1 meeting. ”
PA#1 Dean Ken Krenzel, Howie Schwarzman, and National Dean George Schindler
