Sharon the Music Student: Sharon began piano lessons at the age of five and had her first solo piano recital at the age of 10. She played clarinet in Junior High. In her teens, she played piano in her high school band and orchestra, performed in the VA frequently, and earned extra cash performing with a teen band for bar mitzvas and weddings. She received a BA in Piano from the University of MN. She did not stop there - she has been continuously going to seminars, master classes, conventions, studying piano and composition from private master teachers, and performing locally.

Sharon the Teacher: Sharon says she was born to teach. Even in elementary school, she pictured how she would teach things better. In Junior High and High school, teachers had her take over their classes. She was a classroom volunteer, actually teaching in her children’s school, while at the same time honing her own piano teaching skills with private and group lessons and deep involvement in several music teacher organizations. In her sixty years of teaching piano, she has developed programs using a holistic approach to her teaching. She considers herself to be a teacher of the individual person using the medium of music.

Sharon the Composer: From the beginning, Sharon has composed for her younger students. Encouraged by teachers and composing mentors, she has been focusing on studying composition in her twilight years. Eight of her piano duets were winners of the MMTA Teacher’s Duet Composition Contest and two are listed in the current Federation Festivals Bulletin. Five of her pieces are listed in the MMTA Piano Syllabus. She has nine books published by Alfred Music and has many publications under her new company, Weopleland Publications. She is the composition state chair for the NFMC student composition contest. For many years she was the Office manager for Junior Composers Institute. She believes that composing music is not only a good way to express oneself, but it gives a good insight into how composers think, and in this way enhances a student’s ability to perform effectively.

Simply Sharon: Sharon loves to learn and explore, and the focus of her exploration is constantly evolving. Books are central to her life. In her teens, drama, writing and public speaking dominated many of her waking hours. Art of all forms: drawing, painting, sewing her own clothes, puppet making have had their time with her. In high school she learned the joy of movement with modern dance, and when she met her husband, Eli, they did international folk dancing several nights a week, performed and taught Balkan dances and went to numerous dance camps throughout the country. Sharon loves puzzles, especially jigsaw and word puzzles. This mindset led her to three years as a math major (not arithmetic - she likes the process of figuring things out, not the number manipulation) after which she switched to music (which also involves putting together patterns). The world is Sharon’s oyster, and she hopes she can rub off some of that glow onto her students.