My parents owned an old upright piano which I recall watching my two older sisters practice and play in between their lessons. As both my sisters belabored the instrument, I stood near whining, begging and pleading, but of course at age five, I was considered too young. It must have been by about age six when my mother made the phone call I had been praying for. The piano teacher on the other end of the phone said that she would accept me as a student. I was overcome with joy. It seemed the moment I had been waiting for my entire life had arrived.
The power under my fingers not only entertained me and the entire family, it also got me out of many household chores. Mother would make the girls set the table or take care of the dishes after dinner because of course, I was practicing.
A high school trip to The Smithsonian Institute forever changed the course of my musical interests. Absolutely mesmerized by the sound of the harpsichord, my true passion would eventually segue from hammers and pedals on the piano to boars’ bristle and crow quill plectra on the harpsichord. Not only did I take an interest in playing this magical instrument, but I also began building my own. I built and sold seven harpsichords which helped finance my passion.
I studied piano at Penn State University. My harpsichord studies started by way of private lessons with Igor Kipnis. I then studied at Washington University in Saint Louis with Trevor Pinnock earning a Ph.D. in Historical Performance Practice. More recently I have worked with Lisa Crawford and Webb Wiggins at the Oberlin Conservatory. I play regularly in Saint Louis with viola da gambist Elizabeth Macdonald and with organizations such as The Bach Society of Saint Louis, The Masterworks Chorale, and Collegium Vocale. In addition to performances in Saint Louis, Cincinnati and Oberlin Ohio, Saratoga NY, Bennington VT and central PA, I have also performed in The Netherlands, Germany and Costa Rica.Like Randy, I too am an Optometrist. We both currently work with Clarkson Eyecare in Brentwood, Missouri.
JFPRIV DESIGNS • SAINT LOUIS MISSOURI USA • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED