In 1990, I sought new employment as a musician. I had obtained a master's degree from Texas Christian University and resided in Fort Worth, Texas. I was keen to cultivate work rather than continue with more schooling. I had a lot of experience as an accompanist and expected to be able to continue to support myself with that. I wanted to take my career further.

My former accompanying teacher from Arizona State, Doris McLeod, alerted me to an opening for corepetiteur with Zurich Opera. I leapt at the chance to audition. I had to go to New York to do that.

My travel agent booked my flight and found an inexpensive hotel room near Herald Square. I found someone to substitute for me at my gig playing piano in a restaurant at a hotel at Dallas Fort Worth airport. On the day of my departure, I left my car in long-term parking at the airport and set off for New York for a long weekend.

New York did not appeal to me at all. It was ugly and I felt sure I would be mugged if stepped out of the hotel for 30 seconds to buy a slice of pizza at 10:00 PM. (Those fears appear hilarious to me now, but after all, my hotel did have bullet proof glass in front of the receptionist at check in.) I didn't expect to be in town very long. I was excited about going to Switzerland. I always wanted to master a foreign language.

On the day of the audition, I went to the Wellington Hotel. A queue of singers, also auditioning for Zurich Opera, wound through the hallway. I appeared to be the only pianist auditioning for the corepetiteur position. When it was my turn, I entered and met Marc Belfort, the director of the International Opera Center at Zurich Opera.

I told Mr. Belfort what I was there for. He opened a piano/vocal score on the piano and asked me to play from it. I did. I felt fine after that. My reading has been the basis for all of my employed work as a pianist.

Mr. Belfort said, "Okay, so you can read. Tell me, who is the composer?"

I said, "Mozart."

"Identify the opera, role, and vocal type."

I didn't know the opera or role. I said, "Well, I can tell you this aria is for a mezzo."

Then Mr. Belfort asked, "Would you please translate the German?"

I knew a few words in German, so I could tell him what the aria was about (kind of), but that was all.

Mr. Belfort indicated that he wouldn't be able to hire me for this job. He asked me, "Do you know what a corepetiteur is?"

I didn't. I said I figured it amounted to vocal accompanying. Mr. Belfort explained that the position had much more responsibility than that, training and preparing singers. For example, since the performers came from many countries and the Zurich audiences wanted to understand the words, this job would include coaching non-native speakers in their German diction.

My answers to his questions were getting shorter and shorter. By this time all I was saying was, "Oh."

He didn't throw me out yet. He went on, asking me about my experience. Now I described my performing degrees and all of my accompanying experience, the opera and choral accompanying, the voice studios, the string recitals, etc. He asked what I was doing now. I said, "I play ballet classes and accompany singing waiters in a spaghetti restaurant in Fort Worth."

He exclaimed, "What are you doing here in New York then?"

I said, "Auditioning for you."

He said, "That's the only reason you came here? How much did that cost you?"

I said, "Between the travel, the hotel, and the work I'm missing, about $700."

He sat back and then said to me, "So why don't you move to New York? Then it would only cost you $2.50 to get turned down for a job." (Subways were a buck twenty-five then.)

I said I imagined it must really be hard to get jobs here in New York. I wasn't having such an easy time today, was I? He thought a moment and said, "Listen, all I said was you can't have MY job, I didn't say you couldn't have A job. Obviously, you can play, and you can read. You just need to be somewhere where something is happening. Once here, you would find your level. Then, if you wanted to, you could learn the other things I was testing you on if that's where your career takes you. In a few years, you probably would be able to work for me if you wanted to, but by that time I doubt you would want to. You would already be too busy right here."

I thanked him for his time and left. I was stunned. That evening I bought a ticket from a scalper and heard Alfred Brendel perform my favorite concerto, the Brahms B-flat.

I went home. I quit all my jobs. I rented a U-Haul trailer and packed up my things. I moved to New York.

I had a job playing opera rehearsals on day two. I'm not making that up. I was never without work again. That was over twenty years ago. The work wasn't always princely, but there was always something worthwhile to do. I got into musical theater, and was on the road for the better part of 10 years. I conducted shows in Berlin, Paris, and Tokyo. I got off the road and now I focus on my solo classical playing. I'm recording my first CD.

At that audition for Zurich Opera, failure transformed into opportunity through the kindness of Marc Belfort. Much later, I tried to look him up again. Sadly, he passed away in 1998, the nicest man who never gave me a job.

I just received in the mail the second edition of Alan Fraser's book, The Craft of Piano Playing. This is an unsolicited endorsement of Alan Fraser's approach based on my study of his companion DVD to this book and private sessions with Alan.

I first discovered Alan Fraser on YouTube where I viewed a demo of his DVD, The Craft of Piano Playing. I thought the demo alone was rich with insight, so I turned right around and bought the DVD. I worked with that for quite some time before having the pleasure of meeting Alan, and now that his first book is available in a revised edition, I look forward to continuing my exploration of Alan's approach.

Alan has an engaging talent for separating mysticism and mumbo jumbo from the practical requirements of getting your hands to behave in the ways necessary to make a piano produce the musical effects your heart desires. No-nonsense objectivity and cheerful optimism.

Is there anything that frustrates you about your playing? Craft is the antidote! Alan Fraser's approach has inspired me and helped me with my own playing in  more ways than I can describe. Check it out on the web.

• The Craft of Piano Playing DVD (with demo)
• The Craft of Piano Playing, 2nd Edition (with book excerpts)

I'm giving a free performance on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at Rehearsal Studios NY and all are welcome. 

Rehearsal Studios NY
853 7th Avenue - Rear Lobby
New York, NY
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

I'm playing my program for this month's Piano Dedication at Hayner Cultural Center (Sunday January 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM in Troy, Ohio).

Schubert. Sonata in A Major, D. 664
Debussy. Estampes
Chopin. Barcarolle

This is Robert Rabinowitz (flute) and I performing his music back in our college days. I loved it at Arizona State and it was fun collaborating with Rob.

I'm performing at Steinway Hall in the Heinrich Steinway room on Saturday 1/7/2012 from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. It's free and all are welcome. I would love to see you, but seating is limited so if you wish to come please email me at jai@jeffryes.net.

Steinway Hall
109 West 57th St.
New York, NY
212-246-1100

The Heinrich Steinway Room is on the second floor. I'm playing my program for next month's Piano Dedication at Hayner Cultural Center (Sunday January 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM in Troy, Ohio).

Schubert. Sonata in A Major, D. 664
Debussy. Estampes
Chopin. Barcarolle

There is no such thing as a weak fourth finger. There is only poor leverage. If you are striving to strengthen your hand, I suggest strength isn't the problem. You could be giving yourself an unnecessary headache.

Go to Alan Fraser's Craft of Piano website and try this exercise invented by Franz Liszt: Bicycle Spokes Exercise.

The exercise is didactic in purpose. When you play,  you aren't going to leave your fingers immobile and you aren't going to activate them solely by moving your forearm. The intention here is to illustrate the solidity of playing on your skeleton by lining up the bones.

Give it a try,and if it helps you, I recommend Alan's books. (This is an unsolicited endorsement.)

The proof lies in how it works for you. For inspiration, check out Horowitz playing Scriabin in his concert in Moscow. Bless his heart, he's 83 and when he stands he's feeble. Not so, sitting at the piano! Formidable hand structure with skeletal alignment affords him the power to break strings were he to unleash it fully.

Dan Chen is what you call a "people person." He appears to like everyone. I don't know his secret. I think the secret is he means it.

Dan used to manage Radiance Tea House. Radiance is located just steps away from Carnegie Hall. It's a lovely place to hang out before a concert. My friend, Bob, and his wife, Cindy, introduced Jan and me to Radiance and to Dan. We liked going there, not just for tea, but to say hi to Dan.

Radiance is still nice, though poorer for losing Dan. But Bob!, I found Dan. I checked out a rehearsal studio I hadn't visited before. Rehearsal Studios NY is on 7th Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets. When I walked in the office, there was Dan! Dan showed me around and let me shap a shot. I invited him to include his company in the picture.

This, from the WQXR blog on 12/27/2011. Are you in the game?

Classical Pianist Finds YouTube Fame: If you’ve ever done a search on YouTube for Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or Chopin’s 24 Etudes, chances are you've encountered a clip of Valentina Lisitsa. The Ukrainian pianist has become the most popular classical pianist on the video-sharing Web site, with her homemade performance clips racking up more than 35 million views and 45,000 subscribers. As a promotional tool, the videos paid off: Lisitsa has a growing slate of concert dates, including a recital at Royal Albert Hall set for June 2012.

I'm performing at Shetler Studios in Penthouse 1 on Wednesday 12/28/2011 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. It's free and all are welcome.

Shetler Studios
244 W 54th St # 12 
New York, NY 10019-5515
(between Bdway and 8th Ave.)
(212) 246-6655

The Penthouse is on the top floor. Then you ascend another flight of interior stairs.

I'm playing my program for next month's Piano Dedication at Hayner Cultural Center (Sunday January 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM in Troy, Ohio).

Schubert. Sonata in A Major, D. 664
Debussy. Estampes
Chopin. Barcarolle