Electrifying Encounter Featured in The New Yorker Magazine

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I recall being astounded by Dr. Cicoria's story as he described it to me

Westport, Connecticut (PRWEB) July 18, 2007

In one electrifying instant, Dr. Tony Cicoria's life changed forever. He had never thought of becoming a pianist, but at age 42, he was struck by lightning and was overcome with an insatiable desire to begin playing the piano. His story appears in the July 23rd issue of The New Yorker magazine (on newsstands July 16th) in a pre-released chapter from Dr. Oliver Sacks' upcoming book Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain.

Dr. Cicoria's quest to find the perfect piano for pursuing his new musical ambitions led him to Erica vanderLinde Feidner, the "Piano Matchmaker" in May, 2005. At "Sonata," the renowned piano camp for adults which doubles as Feidner's piano showroom, they found the piano of his dreams-- an exquisite 9'2" Bosendorfer grand piano that had been hand-selected by Feidner in Vienna, Austria.

"I recall being astounded by Dr. Cicoria's story as he described it to me," says Feidner, "the lightning strike, his recollection of its aftermath -- and especially, the fierce, unrelenting drive to play the piano that surfaced soon after the accident. I knew his story must be told -- and I knew that it must be told by Dr. Oliver Sacks."

Feidner, herself the subject of a 2001 feature story in The New Yorker entitled "Piano Matchmaker" by James B. Stewart, innately understood the significance of Dr. Cicoria's experience.

In 1987, a hand injury gave Feidner time to reevaluate and subsequently end her career as a concert pianist. She then struggled to reconcile her sense that the decision had somehow disappointed her father. In 1996, her father fell into a coma-like state following a long illness. Knowing the end was near, Feidner went to the piano after a nine-year hiatus and played for him. "I felt like I had never played with such passion before," she says. After playing for what seemed to be both an instant and an eternity at the same time, she said goodbye to her father and told him how much she loved him. He died peacefully the following morning.

Feidner says Dr. Cicoria's story reminded her how potent communicating through music can be, and in turn, she has continued to play. Knowing the power that music has to transcend and express emotions that are otherwise intangible, Feidner believes with all her heart that the soul of a piano should mirror the soul of its owner. Her piano matchmaking philosophy pairs individuals with their perfect piano. "Tony's Bosendorfer piano is fiery and passionate," she says, "just like Tony himself."

Feidner says it is her greatest hope that Dr. Cicoria's story will inspire others to begin playing the piano without reservation.

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