The Mind of a Composer

I never thought, as a piano performance major in college, that I’d spend a good percentage of my professional time composing.
As a concert pianist, I’m immersed in the ideas of other composers, and I love the intellectual challenge of trying to figure them out. Most of the time, it’s fun, although there are stretches that [...]

A Royal Return

As a kid, I loved names. I haven’t outgrown that, but some things have changed as I’ve gotten older.
I really enjoy baseball, particularly the “old-fashioned” notion of listening to games on the radio. Being a New York state resident, I’m interested in the Yankees, but I’m certainly not a diehard. I’ll happily cheer for any [...]

Sweetness from the Trees

Most winter mornings, breakfast for me is oatmeal with maple syrup. This time of year, I think about how the Iriquois had a Maple Sugar Moon, and I marvel that a tree can provide such sweetness.
We have a maple in our front yard, but I’m not sure if it’s a sugar, and besides, sap from [...]