Music has shaped my life for more than 40 years as a pianist and teacher, for more than four decades of teaching and performing and sharing that joy with hundreds of students. Through my town eacher’s musical lineage, I am only a few generations removed from the legendary composer and pianist Franz Liszt, a connection that inspires me to honor and pass on that tradition every day
My connection to piano runs even deeper through an incredible lineage. Forty-eight years ago, while playing piano during a trip to Italy, one of the chaperones in my group heard me and shared that she had studied at a conservatory in New York City. She told me I was talented and encouraged me to pursue it seriously. When I returned home, I found what I believe was the greatest teacher in Jacksonville. He had studied with Rosina Lhévinne—one of the greatest piano pedagogues of the 20th century, who taught legends like Van Cliburn and John Williams at Juilliard.
Rosina continued teaching into her 90s, right up to her passing at age 96. My teacher went on to earn his doctorate at Florida State University, where his own teacher was Edward Kilenyi Jr., who studied with Ernő Dohnányi at the Liszt Academy in Hungary. And Dohnányi studied with a direct student of Franz Liszt. This lineage—from Liszt through Dohnányi, Kilenyi, Lhévinne, and my teacher to me—is something I carry with immense pride and gratitude.
In the coming months, I plan to move to Portugal, excited for a new chapter. I’m told (and I believe) that people there—especially in the expat and local communities—will appreciate this heritage deeply. Portugal has a growing interest in classical piano lessons, and with my experience teaching all levels, I expect to attract students who value passion, technique, and inspiration. So many great piano teachers continue into old age (like Rosina herself), and I plan to teach again until, like playing the piano, the day I die. I love teaching—it’s one of the greatest joys of my life