Music definitely played center stage in my childhood. Whether I was taking an inspiring but amusing piano lesson with my father, formerly a cathedral organist, accompanying my sister‘s string trio, or playing French horn with the New Jersey All-State Orchestra, I lived for those emotional experiences. My father was also my organ teacher, which inspired me to cover for him in church (as well as take on an organ position in a synagogue during my five years at Manhattan School of Music) Musicians who have never played on a pipe organ have no idea what a feeling of power one experiences just by pulling one “stop“ to move the air inside a pipe. I especially enjoyed playing big organ compositions, when I took over my father’s job at age 21 (not the cathedral position). However, I told him before he died, I did not intend to follow in his footsteps — sitting up in a cold choir loft, alone, during the winter, just to practice.

Negative comments from professional musicians outside my home spurred me on toward reaching my goal of becoming a professional hornist. A colleague in the New Jersey Symphony said I would never get a job in a German orchestra as a female hornist. A year later I was the first female hornist in Switzerland and two years later the first on contract in a major German orchestra. I have to add, fifty years ago it was different to work in European orchestras. You had to pull your weight like it is today, but all eyes were upon you then. When I worked in Switzerland, colleagues argued, I could not prove, as a young woman, that I would still be able to play twenty years later.

Perhaps it is sometimes not advisable to listen to your parents. Although my mother reminded me of my age when I started studying voice in my thirties, she was mildly surprised, as I started singing chamber concerts and song recitals in Hamburg. The dilemma with age is something every professional musician must face. However, I believe, as I am now experiencing with my progress on the piano, it is a question of the quality one can offer, the warm emotions exhibited by means of the instrument, not how old one is or when one began studying. Good music is always appreciated.

Since I ended my engagement with the Hamburg Opera, I have gone back to working on the piano. A long-time student of Matthias Veit in Hamburg, I have played house concerts, church services, performed at Klavier Knauer, in local halls and at functions in the University Hospital as well as concerts in the USA. I have concentrated on European romantic and impressionistic music. In July 2023 I spent three weeks studying piano with Professor Lee Kum Sing from Vancouver, Canada, performing in two concerts, and teaching a master class in voice to Chinese students at the Casalmaggiore International Music Festival in Italy. The emphasis of this festival is performing and attending daily concerts in Casalmaggiore and environs. It is amazing what you can learn from just watching other musicians perform. 

After studying a while with Professor Lee I have started working with an Italian concert pianist (also a former student of Professor Lee), Andrea Merlo. My repertoire is being broadened to include Classical and Baroque composers.

My first attempt at composing was Via ad Pacem (See below); the first CD, New Beginnings, produced in 2016, combines classical as well as entertainment music. (See discography and music compositions) I intend to continue playing the piano as a soloist and as an instrumental accompanist. Working with fine soloists like those in the Hamburg Philharmonic adds another dimension to performing. Musical possibilities expand as demands are put on one’s own technical ability and creativity. New recordings/videos with soloists will be released soon.

Aside from my musical activities, I have been an active member of the S.E.R. Foundation (Foundation for Subjective Experience and Research), which has “special status“ at ECOSOC at the United Nations for several years. As a “peace messenger“ I have spoken at conferences in the U.S. and Germany. In November 2022 my horizons were broadened by attending an International Council Meeting of the Association for World Education in Cairo. The object was to strengthen the relationship between the S.E.R. Foundation and AWE and to establish a more strategic alliance that would be mutually beneficial. In March 2024 I was an active member of the S.E.R. team at an NGO-UN conference in New York City, CSW68, the Commission on the Status of Women.

In reference to these organizations, I truly believe that music builds bridges across all nations, races, and religions. Without it the world would be a pretty cold place.

In order to inspire people to end hostility and live together in harmony, I composed the music to Via ad Pacem, lyrics by Katharina Brecht, a German author and poet. Another song, “Smile for Peace“, which I have composed to motivate people to reach out to each other to promote peace, will soon be recorded.