RCEditions

My children are and were an opportunity to care more about others than myself. With my musician daughter, I learned that even with my own experiences, there is more than one path to success. She made her own independent way, taking the train to Rochester in HS from Boston to study with Pam Frame, arriving at 3 in the morning, practicing late at night at home, taking lessons from the late Harvey Shapiro and learning the best of what he had to offer. I believe she also taught me how to play musical line, by my listening to her play Bruch ‘Kol Nidre,’ and then playing my version for her, in which she coached me well. Also, Lauren with her own independent spirit prepared me for Julia who has even more of that spirit, and clearly I know little of how to make a career as a visual artist, as it is difficult when you are a musician speaking with a young Monet. And she has that kind of talent! She began painting the most creative cd covers before she was even a teenager, beginning with ‘Radnofsky.com’ and ‘Fascinatin Rhythms.’ Every work of art from this young woman tells a story, and I believe she has alot to say. Jonathan is at the beginning of his career, perhaps as an industrial engineer or perhaps as a professional lacrosse player (One doesn't know at 16). As I told my youngest daughter as I slipped the piece of paper into the baseball holder which houses a 1930 Boston Braves baseball (not a good team, but signed by Hall of Famer 'Rabbit' Maranville), which my own father collected when he was 6, at the game, "Don't let anybody take your dreams away from you."

I attempted to make a list of students over the years; sadly my schools did not have the records from earlier years, and I know to mention some is to slight others unintentionally, especially at 50 students on average per year, for 35 years, with ongoing affiliations at New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, Longy School and Boston University, as well as prior affiliations with other east coast universities earlier in my career. But, just to mention a few former students (and all are important to me): Jimmy Greene, Abe Burton, Mike DiRubbo, Lao Anthony, Pete Greenfogel, Chien-Kwan Lin, Sam Lorber, Sam Skelton, Demetrius Spaneas, Dennis Shafer, Jason Matusow, Mia Forney, Randy Hall, Cynthia Duet, Matt Sintchak, Pei-Yin, Philippe Staudlin, Greg Ridlington, Mark Weissman, Lennie Bretton, Ben Sorrell, Michael Couper, Wallace Halladay, Jennifer Bill, Shyen Lee, Preston Duncan, Maeve Lien, Sissie Sue Cohen, Denise Meyer, Merryl Goldberg, Lauren Nicholas, Anthony Balester, Greg Stickeler, Sean Mix, Jorge Hoyo, Mary Joy Patchett, Nicole Barnes, Anne Groenewege, Kristine Gray, Ryan Marsh, Sean Wright, Alejandro Soraires, Rebecca Wellons, Sam Mehr and Tina Kambil (who developed the coffee mug/poster 'why I didn't practice' list), whom all come to mind as former students of great character, integrity and inner strength who are representative of the best in all my students (including all the current ones) whom I have not mentioned.

A Salute to (My) Teachers

6. Colleagues, Family and Friends, and mostly, just working hard (cont.)

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