April 2, 2012

If you’re at all interested in public affairs, consult my blog at: http://peallibertybells.blogspot.com.

I’m also a professional pianist, playing classical concerts and singalongs in retirement homes throughout Northern New England. This is my third career. After many years as a stockbroker and financial planner, I became a journalist, writing weekly newspaper columns on money matters (until the end of 2008) for a number of papers across the country. Elsewhere in this website, you’ll find an archive of eight years of weekly columns, information about my book, “Understanding Exchange-Traded Funds,” which was published in 2007 by McGraw-Hill, and an explanation of the causes of the current credit crunch.

Although I’d played piano all my life, it was in the 1970, when I was in my 30s, that I benefited from a superb teacher, Kyriena Siloti, who was then in her 80s. She was the daughter, student, and assistant of Alexander Siloti, a renowned Russian pianist. He in turn was the student of Franz Liszt, one of the greatest pianists who ever lived.

During my studies with Kyriena, a recording I made of Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Sonata was played in October 1973 on WCRB-AM on a Sunday morning in Boston, Massachusetts. Thereafter, I performed many times, both solo and with chamber groups. I stopped performing in 1997 to begin a writing career, but resumed practicing in February 2007.

After I played the Waldstein at the Music School in 1973, a student asked me what I was feeling while playing. I said, “I wasn’t feeling anything. I was too busy.”

“Even so,” he said, “you were filling the hall with emotion.”

Elsewhere in this website you’ll find 45 minutes of piano music recorded by me in October of 2008. Please contact me to purchase the CD. The cost, including shipping, is $12. If you’d like references of places where I’ve played, contact me for that as well.