During my recent NYC touchdown for the occasion of my mother's memorial service, I found a weekend interval to make side trips to Faust Harrison Pianos' remarkable showrooms and factory. Serendipitously drifting into an inviting space on Piano Row's West 58th, just a block from Carnegie Hall, I was surrounded by Steinway grands that were… Continue reading My visit to Faust Harrison Pianos in Manhattan, and White Plains, New York
It's one thing to fly from California to New York, taking in awesome views from the plane. But would I lay back and lapse into surrendering a week of piano instruction just because I had a NYC based family obligation? No way! As long as I had my iPhone as backup, I would try to… Continue reading Piano Lesson from the Big Apple by iPhone!
Saturday, June 6th Performing Arts High (FAME I'm gonna live forever!) Reunion! A first for me that was worth a crowded subway ride to the heart of Times Square plus a zesty walk through throngs of tourists. While I missed class photo shoots, I managed a pose with conductor, Gerard Schwarz before I sauntered over… Continue reading My NYC High School of Performing Arts Reunion!
First day in the Big Apple: These are popular picture postcard themes yet worth memorializing. I took this photo set as I trekked from 34th Street and Penn station to the West Side 'Y' gym at 63rd off Central Park. Bogged down with luggage, I approached Columbus Circle at W. 59th Street (off Central Park)… Continue reading Scenes from Manhattan
A native New Yorker, I rarely found myself at the Statue of Liberty, but yes, to Central Park, and gentle walks though Fall and Spring paths. My last visit to the home land, was this past December when I sauntered with my daughter, Aviva, along the periphery, taking favorite photos of the lake, and surrounding… Continue reading Photo memories of my December 2012 trip to NYC
I grew up in the Marble Hill projects of the Bronx and lived on the ninth floor. The walls of our housing development were so paper thin that when I practiced on my Sohmer 1922 studio upright, my first dream piano, it would elicit nerve-racking thumps from the neighbor down below. To my embarrassment, I… Continue reading Housing my Dream Pianos
Have you ever been a prisoner in your own home? I was, after my return to Fresno from El Cerrito where I had my second piano studio. My brand new custom-made cedar gate that enclosed my front patio, had endured three days of continuous Valley showers while I was gone. In the aftermath, it just… Continue reading Behind the Locked Gate!
When I prepare for a you tube posting, I climb the walls. Not only am I in the hot seat when the camcorder is rolling, but I have to worry about the neighbors to my right suddenly deciding to have a slap down, bang out fight. Last night was a perfect example of recording on… Continue reading In the Hot Zone!
Claudia S., one of my hard-working piano students, paused during a recital rehearsal to sample a collection of Steinway grands housed in the parlor of the Fresno Piano store on Ashlan. The instruments on display ranged from the model "M," about 5'7" in dimension to the "L," nearly 6.' A particular piano was a facsimile… Continue reading Under the spell of Vladimir Horowitz
