Seymour Bernstein

Seymour Bernstein shared great insight into his career and life in music during his NAMM Oral History interview. He proudly spoke of the first moment he put his hands on the white keys of his aunt’s piano and how he felt the direction of his life was set in stone. Seymour had some wonderful teachers including Clifford Curzon, Nadia Boulanger and Alexander Brailowsky. He pursued a life as a classical pianist and dedicated himself to the craft. At the age of 50, he gave what he said was a very freeing final concert to focus on composing and teaching. He has written several books including With Your Own Two Hands: Self-Discovery Through Music, Monsters and Angels: Surviving a Career in Music, as well as several others. In 2015 the film director Ethan Hawke released his documentary Seymour: An Introduction, which traces the pianist's life as a composer and teacher following his classical playing career.