Standout Student

DJ Suter

Graham at Piano

Graham Running

Graham and Steve recording album

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a 55-year-old physician. I've been an Internist for 30 years. At Furman University, while taking my undergraduate pre-med courses, I majored in music.

I'm the principal clarinetist in the Memphis Wind Symphony, and Dr. Katz and I have recorded a clarinet/piano album together. I especially love classic rock and classical music.

I'm also an avid runner. I've run 57 half marathons (13.1 miles), including 18 for St. Jude.

My wife, Megan, is a stroke and brain injury occupational therapist who co-owns a rehab clinic. My daughter, Abbie, is a speech pathologist. And my son, Alex, is a cadet at Virginia Military Institute.

Tell us about your piano lessons with Steve

Steve's approach to piano teaching stresses music theory. I really enjoy his analytical technique. Dr. Katz teaches to your level and challenges you. He does this in a friendly and non-condescending manner. He can handle experts, beginners, and everything in between.

Do you prefer to play using treble/bass sheet music or the chord system?

I enjoy both treble/bass and chord pieces because both are important. Chord songs reinforce music theory and allow for improvisation. Treble/bass pieces develop sight reading, fingering, and phrasing.

What are your favorite songs or pieces you have learned?

"Little" Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, and virtually any other songs by Gershwin. Concerto in A Minor by Grieg. Beatles and other rock songs.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a 37-year-old ex-engineer turned Air Traffic Controller. I grew up in SE Virginia where I received private piano lessons from grades 7-12. While in high school, I attended Governor’s School for the Arts, which was a magnet school that allowed me to focus on French horn. Sadly, that’s where my music study stopped until January 2023 when I started studying with Steve.

My wife, Sandy, and I have been together 17 years, and live on a small hobby farm in Lakeland with our horses, goats, chickens, geese, and a cow. We enjoy hiking, reading and music, trail riding with our horses Binx and Miles, and traveling on our motorcycles. We don’t have any children, but our two Jack Russell girls Leah and Toga mean the world to us.

Tell us about your piano lessons with Steve.

I love Steve’s approach to study, focusing on theory and emotion, and not assigning music just to assign it. He allows me to be flexible with my repertoire and doesn’t force me to play anything I don’t enjoy. Practicing for your lesson is much more enjoyable when you love the music and love what you’re doing. Steve really cares about his students and wants to see them grow. You couldn’t ask for a more passionate instructor.

How does piano study enrich your life?

I believe that technology and social media have trained our brains to be constantly running and seeking dopamine. Combined with the high pressure of Air Traffic Control, I often find that it’s a struggle to quiet things down and calm my mind. Piano fixes that for me. Piano is relaxing and calming, and I love to play when I just need a break. I also love seeing myself grow and the satisfaction of struggling with a passage one night, then waking up the next morning and playing it perfectly, as if I knew it all along.

Tell us about your home pianos and practice.

This summer I achieved a lifelong dream of mine and purchased a Yamaha Grand Piano. I love the way it sounds in my home and having a beautiful instrument makes practicing so much more enjoyable. I’m fortunate enough to have a digital piano at my work so I’m able to practice during my break times.

What are your favorite songs or pieces you have learned?

I’m a sucker for Chopin. But in general, I love romantic pieces that are full of emotion, using dynamics and ornamentations to enhance the sound. I love beautiful melodies, and the challenge of getting my listeners to feel the same emotion that I feel in a song.