I began taking music lessons from Lydia Smutny-Sterba when I started my first year at Morton College, if memory serves. This would be the fall of 1976. Mrs. Sterba had me learn Trepak from the Nutcracker. At our recital she had us wear white gloves to keep our hands warm before the performance. She was a great music teacher and she wanted me to stay with music rather than study art.

This piece is from an 8-track cartridge tape I recorded that I called “Mike In Concert.” I made the 8-track for my brother Buddy's family. That's my niece Donna and nephew Jimmy, Buddy's children, in the picture with me. My brother Monte appears framed in a photo.