Don Mills Piano Lessons

“I try to make music speak simply and directly, so that anyone can understand it.”

— Sergei Rachmaninoff from a 1933 interview published in the New York Times

Albert Einstein knew what it felt like to face hate. In Germany, he was treated unfairly because he was Jewish. Einstein was one of the greatest scientists in history. He developed the theory of relativity, which transformed our understanding of space, time, and gravity. But when he came to America, he saw how Black Americans were being mistreated. It broke his heart. He had seen this kind of injustice before, and he knew he had to speak up.

In 1946, Einstein visited Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. It's an HBCU and one of the first degree-granting colleges for Black students in the United States. During his talk with students and faculty, he spoke about the importance of unity and fairness. He was very vocal about segregation and said, "I do not intend to be quiet about it." According to research published by Rutgers University Press in 2005, Einstein’s words at Lincoln University came from deep compassion and his own experiences with discrimination.

Einstein didn't just talk about equality. He lived it. At Princeton University, he supported the NAACP and publicly stood with W.E.B. Du Bois. When Black visitors were denied hotel rooms in Princeton, he opened his home to them. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Einstein invited the famous singer Marian Anderson to stay with him when she was turned away because she was Black. Einstein showed that kindness and action can go hand in hand. The man who changed how we see the universe also tried to change how we treat one another. Albert Einstein used his genius, his humanity, and his compassion to stand up for what is right.

📸 (Photo: Courtesy of the Institute for Advanced Study / Einstein Family Collection)

Being Liszt's Birthday, a clip of my performance from Liszt's Polonaise #1. Happy Birthday Franz Liszt.

Franz Liszt Polonaise # 1 played by Furio Zerafa Practicing the ending of Liszt Polonaise # 1 at a friend’s house in N.C. surrounded by a magnificent pianist autograph collection seven years ago. I will be ...

Replaying Mephisto #1 after so many years, with new added additions to the score. This is a clip of the ending.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMg6OlMpKT2/?hl=en

Replaying Mephisto #1 after so many years, with new added additions to the score. #mephistovalse #classicalpiano

My performance of a rarely performed Franz Liszt composition. It was composed by Liszt as part of his mass for the coronation of the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef 1st as Hungarian King. This is Liszt's own piano transcription of the Benedictus from the Mass.

Franz Liszt Benedictus from the Hungarian Coronation Mass played by Furio Zerafa Live home recording, Steinway model D. This is Franz Liszt's own piano transcription of the Benedictus. Franz Liszt composed the Hungarian Coronation Mass f...

Leonard Bernstein and Glenn Gould at piano