mikel

Michael Loukides was born in New York, NY, in 1955. He has been playing piano since he was 9, and has studied with many teachers over the years, starting with Mrs. Watstein and Leo Rewinski (who was a master performer of Chopin), and most recently with various students and faculty of the Yale University School of Music, with which he has never been formally associated. Being a hanger-on works wonders, though. His recent teachers have included Ivo Kaltchev, Ed Turgeon (both wonderful pianists whose careers should be watched), Elizabeth Parisot and Donald Currier of Yale. He has only played for Mr. Currier a few times, but it's a privilege to work with someone of his insight and experience. He has also been a part of Rebecca Rafaelli's master class (now at New Haven's Neighborhood Music School).

Mike plays a lot of Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin. He wishes he could play Messiaen's Vingt Regards and Scriabin's late sonatas. This highlight of his "career" was probably a house concert where he performed Beethoven's Opus 110 sonata and Messiaen's Je dors, mais mon coeur veille. Now, he wishes that concert was recorded.

Aside from the piano, Mike has degrees in Electrical Engineering and English from Cornell, and a PhD in English from Stanford. At Cornell, he told his advisor to send him to the mental health clinic if he ever mentioned having a triple major in EE, E, and Music. He lives in Guilford, CT, with his wife (a singer) a daughter (who is learning flute, but doesn't want him to accompany her), and two parakeets (who you will probably hear on any future recordings). Professionally, he's an editor for O'Reilly Media, Inc., where he edits (and occasionally writes) books on computers and networking.

One final note. Mr. Loukides was, for a while, co-owner of the domain name "deadcomposers.com." DeadComposers was supposed to be a site similar to the Piano Society. However, you guys did it; we didn't. Congratulations, and I'm glad to be a member.

Composer pages:

Brahms Intermezzi
Mozart
Schumann