I come from a musical family. Both of my parents are professional orchestral players.

I started studying piano when I was five, and within weeks, I had surpassed the skills of my nine-year-old sister, who’d been playing for three years. I’d apparently won the lottery in the musical gene pool.

Growing up, I enjoyed being around musicians of all sorts. My personal heroes were Chopin and Liszt. As I entered puberty, I was drawn to girls who were musically inclined. My first crush was on a young mezzo-soprano I once accompanied at a recital. As a high-school sophomore, I lost my virginity to a senior girl who played oboe. (No “skin flute” jokes, please. I’ve heard them all.)

After high school, I was accepted at a prestigious conservatory in New England, surrounded by other... Read More