“How do you memorize all those notes? It’s amazing!”

I don’t know how I do it. I’m the one who is the most amazed.

“How many hours do you practice?”

As many as I need to.

“Are you from a musical family?”

I’m the first professional musician. Both of my parents were aeronautical engineers, but my mother played the piano and the cello, and my father played the piano, violin, flute, double bass, recorder, penny whistle, and ocarina. At the age of 40, he took up the guitar. My sister plays the piano and my older brother plays the harmonica. He is the only other musician I’ve met who shares my exact musical instincts and imagination when it comes to timing, phrasing, and arranging tunes.

“What kind of piano do you own?”

I have two Yamahas.

“Where are you from?”

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and I live in the Washington, D.C. area.

“Have you made any recordings?”

Yes. You can get them from my website.

“Do you have any good students?”

I have only good students.

“How old were you when you started playing the piano?”

I began formal lessons at the age of 7, but I was playing before that. My earliest memory of playing the piano is standing up to reach the keys and improvising a piece of music about the ocean. Strange, for someone living in Missouri.

“When did you know that you wanted to be a musician?”

When I first heard music.

“What is the span of your hand on the keyboard?”

I can reach a tenth.

“Who is your favorite composer?”

Ravel.

“Don’t your hands ever get tired?”

No, I’m just getting started.

“What are you thinking about while you’re playing onstage?”

You hear what I’m thinking.

“Your music made me cry.”

Was it that bad?

— JC