I am an attorney living with my wife in  Glencoe, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.  I have the fondest memories of my piano studies with Melvin Stecher, and also thoroughly enjoyed the theory classes and concerts we went to.  One clear memory is of studying  the score to Bartok’s Second Piano Concerto and then attending a performance in New York.  I continued to study piano in college (not as a music major) but was no longer able to take lessons upon entering law school.  Following graduation from law school (and marriage and three children) my formal piano studies ceased.  I did not, however, stop playing and indeed, within less than a year of working, I used my initial savings to purchase my first piano.  While I was not able to keep up my classical music discipline, I began exploring the great American songbook.  During evenings and weekends I worked my way through Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and many other “classic” composers.

Phase two of my musical “career” began at age 51 when the last of my kids went off to college.  I had a strong desire to take lessons again and decided to learn jazz, a complex and intriguing form of music I have loved since college.  I found and excellent teacher on the Northwestern University faculty and began this new path.  Now, five years later, I play regularly in various combinations at local restaurants and for charitable fund raisers.   A sample of my playing can be found at www.secondcityjazz.com. I still take weekly lessons and attend many seminars and camps to further my jazz education.  I have also recently starting playing in a Latin jazz ensemble.

Melvin Stecher gave me both the love of music and the tools to create it, for which I shall always be deeply grateful.

Kindest regards to Melvin Stecher, Norman Horowitz and all the other alums.