Hello, and thank you for reading about me and my world of piano. I began piano at the age of four. In the sixth grade I decided to become a piano performance major which resulted in a Bachelor’s (Oberlin Conservatory of Music) and Master’s degrees in piano performance. (The University of Michigan)
I always had a skill at the music of Beethoven, Bach, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Meanwhile my interest in Scott Joplin (Ragtime Music) and top 40 music was in my bones from an early age as well. Frequently I would receive questions of how I could play the tunes the way they were on the radio or recording when the sheet music was not written to reflect this. Early on the gift of an ear and realizing the various rhythms and harmonies would be transparent in my musical interpretations.
In college along with all of the serious Classical music, I developed a love for jazz, improvisation and sounding really cool. I would love to hear others play different styles and improvise. All of these factors, playing in several musical groups, recording music, arranging music, giving master classes, performing with orchestras, giving thousands of piano lessons make my life a dream come true.
Now I would like to share with you the Kurt to Beethoven story and the history of all of my teachers. I am always excited to share my stories. For details on how I teach visit the piano lessons page.
Kurt to Beethoven
Mischa Kottler (1899-1994): Mischa was born in Kiev, Ukraine. He settled in Detroit, Michigan and studying with Mischa made a permanent and life changing impact upon my life as a pianist and performer. He taught me in his nineties and by far was the most amazing teacher I have ever had. I was his last student. Having the opportunity of being taught the old Russian 19th century was of playing the piano was a trip to the past that most of us can only dream of. Imagine someone who could play any piece of music from the entire piano literature from memory and in any key, he was a true titan. Mischa as a young man had the opportunity to play for Rachmaninoff who was so impressed that Rachmaninoff wrote a letter of recommendation so that he would study in Europe with Emil von Sauer (edited the Brahms piano works) and Alfred Cortot (edited the Chopin works).
Timeline:
- I studied with Misha
- Misha studied with Emil von Sauer (1862-1942)
- Sauer was a student of Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
- Liszt was a student of Carl Czerny (1791-1857)
- Czerny was a student of the great Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
So there you have it, I am a very blessed person and honored to have studied with such great piano teachers!
English 
German