Forty-eight years ago, one woman told me something that changed the entire direction of my life. She told me that I had talent. That simple sentence led me to audition for Dr. Yesen, and incredibly, he accepted me as his student. Looking back, that moment was one of the great turning points of my life.

Dr. Yesen became one of the most important influences I could have ever hoped for as a young pianist. Through his teaching, discipline, and musical insight, he helped shape not only my playing but my entire understanding of music.

But the story doesn’t stop there.

Shortly after my studies began, I walked into a piano store—just exploring possibilities—and something almost unbelievable happened. Within two weeks, I suddenly had forty to fifty students. Practically overnight, I had a full teaching studio. Opportunities kept appearing in ways that felt almost miraculous.

When I look at the decades that followed—teaching piano for more than forty years, performing, building relationships with students, and sharing music with so many people—I often feel overwhelmed with gratitude. None of it felt planned. It felt like doors kept opening at exactly the right moment.

There were many other blessings along the way: owning a home that became a great investment, building a life around music, meeting wonderful teachers and friends, and having the privilege of guiding students through their own musical journeys.

Sometimes people talk about hard work or strategy when they tell their life stories. Those things matter, of course. But when I reflect on my own path, I can’t help but feel that luck and gratitude have played an enormous role.

One encouraging comment from a teacher…

One successful audition…

One unexpected opportunity at a piano store…

Those moments shaped the course of my life. And for that, I will always be deeply grateful.