Q.  When did you start playing the piano and have you ever stopped and started again?

A.  I was 16 when I started piano after playing trombone in school for several years. I was excited about using both hands to play an instrument and learned quickly because I knew how to read music. My big problem was the lack of good technique. I developed bad habits. When I started playing more challenging pieces I was out of control and developed lots of tension. Being good at sight reading and having a poor technical foundation can be a real problem. This frustration caused me to stop playing for a while.

Q.  When did you start again?

A.  I was living in New York City and started taking extension classes in harmony at Julliard. I didn't own a piano so I had to use the practice rooms there. When I relocated to California I continued my studies in music theory, bought a piano and started studying seriously with a teacher.

Q.  What is your approach to learning a new piece?

A.  First I read it through to get an idea of what it sounds like, an aural impression. I play it through slowly and sing to myself. Then I analyze the different parts, looking for themes, harmonies, motifs and seeing how they are connected and fit together. I identify the difficult sections that will need slow practice and extra work. Once I've done this I feel like I have a road map for the piece. Then I start thinking about interpretation.

Q.  Who is your favorite composer and why?

A.  That's a hard question, to pick one from so many great composers. My personal favorite is Brahms and I especially like his intermezzi. It is music for a solitary soul. It's like he's composing for himself when he's alone, creating his life's sound, similar to a writer writing in his diary. It is music that I can understand and enjoy. I also like Mozart, particularly his sonatas. They are brilliant, happy and full of energy but they are very difficult to play. Their difficulty is not obvious but you need special coordination and good technique to play them well. You have to work very hard to make them seem simple.

Q.  Do you think there is value in performing in recitals?

A.  Yes, I think they provide an opportunity for you to achieve a goal, increase your confidence and measure yourself against your personal expectations. I like to compare it to running a marathon. What's the use of running alone every day and never taking the chance on a race? When you practice alone, it's easy to chicken out of working hard to achieve your very best. A recital is everybody's show. The group situation provides the right window for everybody to share their music and enjoy presenting the result of their hard work.

Q.  Do you get nervous playing in recitals?

A.  I've passed the point of being nervous. I try to let go of my ego and enjoy myself. A recital is not a time to think about yourself but to think about the music. You struggle with your piano at home and if you've done your homework and are convinced about your interpretation, you should enjoy sharing it.

Q.  In addition to playing classical piano, you enjoy improvising. What is your approach?

A.  When I hear a piece that I like, I listen to it attentively and go to the piano and pick out the melody. I figure out what key it's in and I harmonize it with the right chords. Then I create an accompaniment to my taste and ability. From there, I memorize it and play it the same most of the time. I try to transpose it in different keys so I can play it with various singers. Now I have a small repertoire of my favorite pop pieces.

Q.  You work with small children as they are developing language skills. Do you see any similarity in the way children learn to speak and the way we listen?