Nadia Reisenberg Students

What follows is a very partial list, with incomplete IDs and other details, but I have only listed verified credentials, and e-mail addresses whose inclusion was specifically agreed to by the artists involved. As further names are added, and more permissions arrive, I trust the roster will be significantly expanded.

If you know of other NR students not mentioned here, please tell me, or ask them to contact us: stevejsherman@gmail.com

Steve J. Sherman

Sophia Agranovich
sofiana@yahoo.com
“Being around her was like bathing in the sunshine — nowadays it is practically impossible to hear pianists matching her noble touch and expressivity. She was also extremely kind, warm, patient and supportive of her students. When I had to get a job as a computer programmer, she gave me invaluable advice how to keep in ‘musical shape’ and insisted I never lose hope to return to music. Thanks to her, I am back!”

Marlene Allen

Beatie Allen
“Her clarity of thought and expression affected me so profoundly that hardly a day goes by that I have not applied some of her teaching in my own work.”

Robert Bank

Rami Bar-Niv, Israeli composer and pianist
bar-niv@zahav.net.il
“Nadia Reisenberg was everything a great teacher should be and much more. She was personable, warm and friendly — she even came to my wedding. I am very proud to have been one of her students.”

Charlotte and Noreen Beckwith

James Behr, professor, Manhattan College
starlightartists@aol.com

Paul Bempéchat, Affiliate, Center for European Studies, Harvard University
pabempec@fas.harvard.edu
“Not a day goes by that I do not remember her as a contributor to so many facets of my life. Mme. Reisenberg cared for us as people as much as she cared for us as pianists. There were always words of concern for our general well-being, and for our families. Well beyond our years of study, Mme. Reisenberg’s warmth, humanity and kindness continue to sustain us in our careers and our daily lives.”

Christine Berl
annemarierimal@gmail.com
“I have only special memories of Nadia Reisenberg and I think of her more than frequently now that I am conducting my own piano school in Casablanca. I often hear myself saying to my students the things that she said to me. I hope I can impart to them something of her integrity, and the genius of her approach to the piano.”

Donald Betts

Victoria Bond, composer-conductor
“Her light will live on in all our memories.”

Davyd Booth, keyboardist and violinist, The Philadelphia Orchestra

Benjamin Bradham
“She will always be a part of me, and a continuing influence in my life.”

Natan Brand

Robin Chadwick

Melisande Chauveau
“Every time I would go to my lesson, I would go back home with gold in my pocket, feeling stronger and happier about life in general.”

Tai-Chan Chen

Hae Young Chun
“Her patience, her understanding, and her kindness never failed to impress me. The faith she had in me kept me going.”

Myung Whun Chung, conductor, Honorary Cultural Ambassador for Korea
“Miss Reisenberg helped me tremendously. I’ve learned everything from her.”

Helen Cohen

Susan Cohen (aka Susan Joyce)
“She was so motherly and always so encouraging. She was a true gem.”

Gilman Collier
“I shall always regard Nadia as one of the prime formative influences in my life. Her remarkable gifts, so unstintingly bestowed upon her pupils, will be a predominant part of our lives throughout all the length of our days.”

Barbara Crittendon

Barbara Cross (Shillinglaw)
gshillinglaw@tampabay.rr.co
“She accepted me as a pupil, but with the comment that my fingers were like spaghetti, so of course we worked on that…”

Karina Eberl

Muriel Elliott
“Throughout the years, I have been playing for her whenever I am at the piano.”

Raymond Erickson, composer, professor of Music, Queens College.

Sylvia Eselson

Esther Fernandez

Anita Gelber

Andrew Gentile
andrewgentile@lyrianmusic.com
“Mme. Reisenberg exuded an absolute air of authority without any of the terror and mind games. At one of my first lessons, I had mis-read something in a score. Instead of flying into a rage, she calmly stated, “My students don’t make mistakes like that.” I determined right then and there that I never would again, either…”

Steven Glaser, chair of the piano department, Ohio State University
glaser20@osu.edu
“Nadia Reisenberg had a tremendous influence on my musical and technical approach to the piano, and music making in general. Her kindness and warmth were evident always. I can picture her, as if it were yesterday, sitting at the second piano, facing me and making verbal suggestions while at the same time, quite unconciously, one hand gently brushed the keys…”

Susan Glaser

Gilda Glazer, former faculty, Hartt School of Music

Hugo Goldenzweig

Diane Goldsmith
dgoldsmith1@msn.com
Studying with Nadia was a revelation. I recall her guiding me through the emotional depths of the great B flat major Schubert Sonata and approaching the most knuckle-busting Chopin etudes as eloquent musical statements. Beyond her extraordinary abilities as a teacher and pianist, she also had a great gift with people, taking a genuine interest in the lives of her students. I will never forget her kindness.

Richard Goode, faculty, Mannes College of Music

Lisa Szilagyi Grad
lsgrad@gmail.com

Hadassah Guttmann
“The most magical moments of my lessons were when she demonstrated at the piano, producing that gorgeous Russian tone. I felt as though she was giving a private recital just for me.”

Dai-Ok Han
dalokhan@gmail.co
Thanks to Mme. Reisenberg, I learned sensitive pedaling and how to make the piano sing. Most importantly, she made me realize the absolute beauty of making music on the piano. After all these years, I am still grateful that I had the opportunity to study with such an extraordinary teacher and true musician.

Frances Joerg Hanson
“Mme. Reisenberg was a wonderful woman, a superlative teacher and mentor.”

Ida Hartmann (DeMotte)

Eugene Helmer

Fedora Horowitz
theotherhorowitz@bellsouth.net
“I am forever grateful to Nadia, who imparted her knowledge with so much love and enthusiasm that one wanted to to produce the best for her. I was always impressed by her kindness: never a harsh word or a destructive critique, she was always positive and ready to build up one’s confidence.”

Eugenia Hyman (Monacelli)

Harriet Josephs (Brent/Magzis) former faculty, Turtle Bay Music School
micha@nyc.rr.com
“My most vivid memory of Nadia was how she showed her disapproval. She had a habit of brushing away some imaginary spot, and out of the corner of my eye, I could tell when the playing was not quite right. On the other hand, when it was right, one bathed in her approval.”

Roger Kamien, retired professor, Hebrew University
kamien@netvision.net.il
“I would say that after my wife and mother, Nadia was the woman who most powerfully influenced my musical life as a performer.”

Shelley Katz, faculty, ISC Queens University
musicians@isc.queensu.ac.uk
“Nadia was, is, and always will be an inspiration.”

Zvi Keren (known in the U.S. as Howard Kim)

Jinho Kim, former faculty, Yonsei University (Korea)
kimjinho1958@hotmail.com
“I cannot express how indebted I am to her, how she still inspires me. She was most genuinely pleased when her pupils showed respect and support for each other. When three of us entered the Five Towns Competition in 1981, and two of us won 1st and the 3rd prizes, the one who had won no prize told Miss Reisenberg how well the others had performed. I never saw her so excited, and she mentioned this incident whenever she had the opportunity. For me this incident was as precious a lesson as many other memorable musical moments with her.”

Jungeun Kim, concert coordinator, Curtis Institute of Music
“Mme. Reisenberg was a beautiful human being who taught me how to be a true musician.”

Lynne Kleinberger (Rosen)
“When I play or teach, I think of Nadia, her goodness, her spirit, her loving of living.”

Elena Klionsky
eklionsky@prodigy.net
“She was not just my teacher, but a wonderful friend, a confidante, even a grandmother who always made sure that I ate well… What you are doing with the Nadia/Clara Foundation is amazing. It is so important for all of us, it gives us continuity and a feeling that Nadia is still around. To be able to hear her playing again is a great reminder of what we strive for.”

Roy Kogan

Alma Kolb
“I grew up with the mystique of Nadia Reisenberg in my musical environment. She was always referred to in a glow of excellence.”

Gershen Konikow
gkonikow@konikow.com
“Nadia was the most influential person in my life. I’ll remember her always with love, respect and gratitude. Her influence extended far beyond music: her insistence on analysis of a musical phrase created an ongoing habit that was helpful in my successes in business.”

Patrick Lamb

Elena Leonova
“I will always be proud that I am her student, and my students are proud to be ‘grand-students’ of Nadia Reisenberg.”

Dr. Pamela Levy, chair, Fine and Performing Arts, Great Neck Public Schools

Joseph Liebling

Andrew Litton, conductor
“I was blessed to have Nadia as my piano teacher at Juilliard. She not only was a magnificent performing artist, but also had the gift of truly nurturing her students. Thanks to her, I’m able to conduct from the keyboard.”

Steven Lubin

Solnie Luria

Anna Manicone (Rosa)
“She taught me to think, to listen, to be totally honest in my self-evaluation, to teach myself. She was a uniquely gifted pianist and an absolutely genuine person. I’m sorry I never told her that I loved her.”

Wayne McEvilly
mcevillymozart@gmail.com
“Among the the most precious hours of my life were those with Nadia Reisenberg. I am still inspired and gaining musically from her teachings, and I see in retrospect that her wisdom was life-giving. Every note I ever played, or ever will play, is in gratitude to her.”

Yuri Meyrowitz

Kenneth G. Mills
“Nadia Reisenberg was one of the most formative teachers I ever had; I learned so much from her.”

Rita (Southworth) Moerschel
ritamoerschel@gmail.com
“I was overwhelmed with Miss Reisenberg’s teaching, her playing and her wonderful warmth. It was a very special experience for me. I’m thrilled to have been in the sphere of such a great artist and wonderful human being.”

Alan Moverman, staff accompanist, New York City Ballet

Debbie Nadel (Gordon)
debgordon@optonline.net

Pascal Nemirovski, Professor, Royal Academy of Music, London
“She had a kind of aristocracy in her playing, and also as a person.”

Anita Notarious

Judith Olsen
judith.olson88@gmail.com
“Studying with her was one of the greatest experiences in my life. I have a picture of her on a high shelf in my studio, so that Miss Reisenberg looks down on me when I practice.

Konstantin Orbelian, composer/conductor
moscowchamberorchestra@prodigy.net

Juliana Osinchuk

Lev Ostrovsky

Arthur Ozolins

Olive Padgett

Henry Paykin

Leda Polinger (Canino)
ledajoe@aol.com
“She constantly overwhelmed me by her magical consummate artistry, yet it was her love, her warmth, her smile, her patience that became my own educational philosophy.”

Mel Powell, jazz pianist and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer

Dmitry Rachmanoff, Chair of Keyboard Studies, California State University
dmitry.rachmanov@csun.edu
“Mme. Reisenberg had the most refined tone and noble phrasing; she could demonstrate anything with ease and elegance, giving a perfect lesson without extraneous words.”

Shulamit Ran, composer

Phyllis Rappeport, retired faculty, Western Michigan University

Morey Ritt, Professor, Queens College
moreyritt@scsglobal.net
“While most of us have memories of favorite performances, and there are many beautiful recordings, we former students remember the playing that was just for us. This portion of Nadia’s musical legacy is ours alone.”

Andrew Saderman

William Schatzkammer, retired professor, Washington State University
(accompanist for Clara Rockmore on her tours with Paul Robeson)
“Nadia was the greatest. I cannot express how much she helped me, how indebted I am to her.”

Rorianne Schrade
“She has given me a lifetime of inspiration.”

Sandra Shapiro

Igor Shochetman

Dongsok Shin
dongsoks@aol.com

Bella Shumiatcher, founder Schumiatcher School of Music
“The song of her music will go on in our hearts forever.”

Jeanne Singer, composer

Boris Slutsky, professor, The Peabody Institute

Nicholas Smith
“She was a quick study, not only in art but also in life. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t thank Mme. Reisenberg for that which she gave to me. Listening to her demonstrating was the greatest treat of all — a rare and unique experience I will always treasure.”

Eun Soo Son

Christian Steiner, arts photographer

Galina Stevlina
“Nadia Aaronona was unforgettable. More than half a century later, thinking of her generosity still brings me to tears.”Hai-Kyung Suh

Trudi Super
“I am happy and thankful to say that Nadia has been the person most sustaining, artistically influential and reassuring in my adult life.”

Rosalie Talbott

Ruth Tichman

Vinia Tsopelas
“I will try with all my forces to play as Nadia would have wanted me to.”

Gwan-Ying Wu

Ilana Vered

Ruti Warshaw
“She was the most incredible person I have known, a shining star and guide…”

Arthur White
hilda.white@prodigy.net

John Williams, multiple award-winning composer and conductor

Teddy Wilson, pianist with several Benny Goodman combos

Vladimir Zaitzsev