Happy Birthday, IRMA!

Today I posted a musical tribute to a dear friend who provides her acoustically divine living room for my weekly teaching journeys in El Cerrito, California. The space soars with resonance and complements a vintage Baldwin 1929 grand that lavishes its home in the Hills. Irma happens to be a student of mine for 4…

My Gold Standard Adult Pupils!

I'm the proud mentor of seven COMMITTED adult piano students, three of whom were TAGGED with body stickers for doing GOOD time at their lessons yesterday. NOTE: None have been coerced by authorities to sign up. (i.e. Parents) Each is a VOLUNTARY admission. (LIVE or in Cyber) Ravi, a thirty-plus chess champion/financial analyst, is one…

Into the Hills with the Sound of Music –a Baldwin Acrosonic “acoustic” sings

The video attached to this writing validates the beauty of music-making on a well-maintained, though 1940s vintage era acoustic piano. Baldwin Acrosonics were the Cadillacs of the spinet and console variety pianos. They had a noticeable innovation compared to their sister-size instruments. (A deeper sound chamber, especially noted in the consoles that measured 40" or…

The Gooden College Connection is about helping minority kids navigate the tough road to college

Andrew M. Gooden and his wife, Ruth Kleinman join a Board of GCC volunteers to make college access a reality for students who might otherwise be lost in the shuffle.

Burgmuller’s beautiful “Tendre Fleur” flows in and out of flower portraits (VIDEO)

On my walk from the El Cerrito Hills to BART Del Norte I snapped these pictures and interspersed them in my reading. Composed in the Romantic era, "Tender Flower" (English Tr.) is a gorgeous miniature that says so much in such a short space of time. A repository of nuance and expressive lines, it rivets…

My childhood “Fur Elise,” past teachers, yearbook entries, and present mentoring (Video)

I named one of my daughters, "Elise," in honor of Beethoven's famous composition. That's how much I adored the music. A companion piece since childhood, I managed to squeak through the notes at age 8 when enrolled at a quaint music school off Kingsbridge Road in the Bronx. Private lessons followed my two years of…

Part THREE: Guess what happened on the way to my El Cerrito Piano Studio? (Photos!)

There was no rooster greeting me for the past two weeks as I wound my way from Bart Del Norte into the El Cerrito Hills. The "cockadoodledoo" had been a welcome embellishment to my time-honored walk and I wondered what happened to the messenger. Once I had ensnared some video through a wood fence opening…

PART ONE: Guess what happened on the way to my El Cerrito Piano studio? (Photos)

I must have had ESP when I packed my Sony Cybershot Digital Camera into my purse before setting out for Amtrak 711 on Monday. After a 3+ hour journey along the scenic route, I de-trained and caught the Bart at Richmond, inching my way to the Del Norte Station in El Cerrito. Greeted by crystal…

The very first lesson with a new Intermediate or advanced piano student: thinking creatively on your feet

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet a new adult piano student who had studied for a few years. Besides having this basic, preliminary information, I had no other tangible clues about her level of playing. The suspense of not knowing what music she would bring was lifted when two contrasting era works…

Fritz, 8, Baptizes my “new” Baldwin Hamilton Grand in El Cerrito, CA (Duet playing video)

My El Cerrito students received a musical morale boost from Hammy's surprise appearance in their learning sanctuary. I guess we'll call the latest piano, "Hammy," while Haddorff in Fresno remains "Haddy" Someday, who knows, the two may pair up in Bay area cultural harmony. HADDY/HAMMY In the meantime, here's Fritz, an 8-year old, second year…