One of the most memorable experiences of my piano studies was turning pages for my teacher, Dr. Yesin, during several of his piano recitals. Sitting just inches from the keyboard, I followed the score and turned the pages at exactly the right moment while he performed.

From that seat beside the piano I could watch every movement of his hands and hear every nuance of sound from the instrument. Those moments on stage taught me a great deal about phrasing, tone, and musical expression. It was an unforgettable experience for a young pianist and deepened my understanding of piano performance.

Another musical moment that stayed with me happened when I first heard the Jacksonville University pianist Mary Lou Krosnick perform Debussy. She had studied with the legendary Juilliard teacher Rosina Lhévinne. Hearing her play completely changed the way I heard the piano. The colors and sound she produced were so beautiful that the experience stayed with me for years. Not long afterward, I began studying Debussy myself, and the memory of that performance remained in my mind whenever I played the music.

A little later in my studies I worked with another remarkable teacher, John MacEnulty, who helped me learn Chopin’s Scherzo in B-flat minor. When I returned to play the piece for my teacher Dr. Yesin, he was so impressed that he asked me to perform it in one of his recitals. That performance became one of the highlights of my musical life and remains one of the pieces that has meant the most to me as a pianist.