Playing With Wolfgang: Becoming Vulnerable
“But what does it mean?,” I asked. I used to ask that a lot when I was little. I remember that time clearly though. My Dad and I were in…
Artist Portrait: Ayako Fujiki
Meet pianist Ayako Fujiki! Raised with a rigorous classical background, she found an affinity for Spanish music early on. As a specialist in Spanish music, she trained under Alicia de Larocha…
Leaving People Better Than You Found Them
It's easy to teach when everything is going well, when families support each other, when children are perfectly behaved, when students are healthy. It's a lot tougher when parents are…
Vintage PA: A Personal Lesson in Promise
The following is a portion of a speech I gave several years ago at the local kick off for the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. I was asked to speak, to those…
PA Shorts: Give Yourself Permission
Ruth Reichl had a mouthful to say on the difference between an amateur and a professional on a recent episode of The Splendid Table. The difference between you and me…
Charging The Enemy
The fortune read: Keep on charging the enemy so long as there is life. I pinned the scrap of paper to the bulletin board beside my desk where, every so…
Finding Your Path
My husband and I were watching an episode of Chef’s Table on Netflix last night. The featured chef was Francis Mallman. The cinematography was gorgeous but we were both becoming…
PA Shorts: Did I Do Good?
I have been doing some judging for various evaluation programs this spring. I love hearing the students. Mostly they are proud of their accomplishments but a little nervous too. I…