Get to Know Gene
My Musical Education
My name is Gene Watson, and I have been giving private piano lessons since 1970. My own experience with the piano began before I was born. My father was a concert pianist before he enlisted in the Navy in WWII, and he performed occasionally after that in churches on the pipe organ and the piano. Under his instruction, I was banging on the keyboard nearly before I could walk! It was this upbringing that led me to study the piano and music academically at Ulster County Community College, Friends University and Tulsa University.
While I was in the Navy, one of my responsibilities was to play the piano for every Chapel session. When I was discharged, I moved to New York and performed as a concert pianist. I would often perform with my lifelong friend Eddie McMurray, and we would give "four-hand" concerts. Together, we performed in New York, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Illinois. During this time, I would also give private lessons. When my beautiful wife Mari and I had children, I also taught them how to play. Though they have each gone on to pursue other careers, their love and appreciation for music is still prevalent in their lives.
The Importance of a Quality Teacher
Like with any subject, having an experienced, passionate teacher can make all the difference. You can teach yourself piano, the same way you can teach yourself a new language. But having an instructor to help you figure out those difficult techniques and, perhaps more importantly, push you toward success can drastically improve your proficiency at the keyboard.
The bulk of my expertise comes from many wonderful teachers who were renowned in their field, with many famous performing students to their credit. Without them, I may have never found the success I did within the field of music. Perhaps the most influential in my life was Lisal Cohen. Mrs. Cohen and her husband escaped from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. While they did live in Europe, Lisal was a concert pianist. I will never forget that German discipline — a ruler to my knuckles! Though I have had many teachers through my many years of playing the piano, three others truly stand out.
The first is Dr. Edgar Roberts, who taught at the Juilliard School of Music for over 40 years. He was famous as a Bach interpreter and as a solo and duo pianist, often with his wife, Adelaide. He died in 2003, but his wife still teaches at Juilliard. Dr. Roberts was a caring, serious teacher who didn't ask you to practice, but also expected you to not waste his time. From Schubert, to Mozart, to Bach, he coached you to the right path, preparing you for performance — an expectation for every student. You can learn more about Dr. and Mrs. Roberts here.
Second is Dr. Soong Fu-Yuan. He was a gifted composer and teacher from China. He often taught you from a corner of the room, with his eyes closed, seemingly not paying attention to you. After you finished the piece, Dr. Soong would then go over every mistake and area of weakness, but would also praise you for the parts you played well. He was truly a genius and a wonderful person. Though he died in 2005, his lessons will always stay with me. You can learn more about Dr. Soong here.
Finally, Aldo Mancinelli was perhaps the most demanding teacher I ever had. My first experience with Mr. Mancinelli was at Tulsa University, where he taught Eddie McMurray and me. He is a gifted pianist and in 1954, he was the first American winner of the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition. Though he has retired from teaching, he still performs with his wife, Judith. You can learn more about Mr. Mancinelli here.
What We Learn from the Piano
When it comes to learning music, our private teachers are our best education. They give us the priceless gifts of their experience, their struggles, their triumphs and their skills. Even today, I still receive piano lessons of my own from Joey Hokayem in Athens, Georgia, who has had four of his own children perform at Carnegie Hall in just the last year.
One of my students had a well known rock band and has famous friends like Neal Peart, the drummer from the rock band Rush. He has told me that Mr. Peart has a habit of studying the drums with someone at every city in which Rush performs. According to Mr. Peart, "There is always something new to be learned." Whether it is the drums, piano, sales pitches or any other tools we use in our everyday lives, we should never stop studying and learning all we can about it.
Even if you have no plans to ever become a concert pianist, learning to play the piano holds a wealth of benefits. It takes discipline to achieve skill on the keyboard beyond playing Chopsticks with two fingers. Students must dedicate time to practice, and fight through the struggles of learning new songs and techniques. Further, music teaches us to look at problems holistically, understanding what we need to do in order to play a song well.
Plus, being able to sit down at a piano during a party and start playing can be downright impressive!
Whether you are a beginner ready to learn all the beauty the piano has to offer, an experience player looking to further your skill or you are looking for a piano teacher for your child, I can help you. Call or email me today to learn more about piano lessons in North Atlanta and to begin your journey toward becoming a master of the keyboard!
