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EDUCATION
Albert began his formal musical journey at the Music Time Studios in East Rutherford, New Jersey near his home of Wood-Ridge (also the former home of child star Frankie Muniz of TV's Malcolm In The Middle), starting piano lessons at 7. It wasn't long before he was performing Mozart & Elton John at junior & high school assemblies.
At age 10 Albert was welcomed into the the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School (then located at the present site of the Manhattan School of Music, where he also auditioned & was accepted, but chose not to attend). When the school moved the following school year to it's current location next to the Lincoln Center he was one of few pre-college division students accepted to continue with the school, which was forced to downsize its staff, faculty & student body.
As a pre-collegiate student he studied piano under the late Robert Armstrong, the late Katherine Parker & Armenta Adams Hummings, who founded the Gateways Music Festival in 1993 to recognize & celebrate the achievements of African American classical musicians. His Bachelor's & Master's Degrees directly following were both under the teaching of the late Russian pianist Madame Ania Dorfmann, the first female soloist to be conducted by Arturo Toscanini. Albert considers his mentor Irving Fields, "the crown prince of pianists" (as named by the New York Post), who pioneered the combination of klezmer & latin music.
(Playing for the wedding of singer Christine McGuire
of the McGuire Sisters at the Regency Hotel)
GIGS
Albert has performed a variety of venues since leaving school from regional theater, private parties, nightclubs, hotels, restaurants & even a decade in a bank lobby!
Venues have included:
* Barbetta Restaurant
* Spindle Top Restaurant
* Savoy Grill Restaurant
* Pat's Italian Restaurant
* The Box Tree Restaurant
* The Lincoln Inn Restaurant
* Nino's Tuscany Italian Restaurant
* Broadway Joe's Steakhouse
* Gas Light Inn Restaurant
* Garden City Hotel
* The Sheraton Hotel
* Friars Club
* Lotos Club
* University Club
* Women's Club Of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
* Marymount School For Girls
* Manhattan Savings Bank lobby
* Williamsburg Saving Bank lobby
* Republic Bank Of Savings lobby
FANS & FOLLOWERS
With a range of venues going from private engagements to neighborhood hangouts to society spots Albert has been blessed with performing for an array of community members ... & a few have even joined him for a song or two!
Audience members have included:
TV/Movie: Elizabeth Ashley, Antonio Banderas, Peter Bergman, Chas Chazzpalminteri, Michael Damien, Brad Davis, Brian DePalma, Beverly DiAngelo, Angela Fiorentino, Ilene Fulton, Frank Gio, Michael Imperiolli, Vincent Irizarry, Amy Irving, Patti Lupone, Susan Lucci, Sir Roger Moore, Arthur Nascarelli, Elaine Page, Al Pacino, Linda Pendergraft, Big Angela Riola, Rex Reed, Marion Ross, Erika Slezak
News: Bill Boggs, Rosie O'Donnell, Dan Rather, Barbara Walters
Broadway: Will Chase, James Lapine, Ann Reinking, Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdun, Chip Zien
Musicians: Licia Albanese, Billy Joe Armstrong, Joey Barbosa, Harry Belafonte, Violetta Claudia Bratu, Charles Ezra Ambiatica Canedo, Chris Caffery, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, Leslie DiNicola, Marilyn Horne, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Aprile Milo, Jane Mangini, Birgit Nilsson, Ken Pierce, Al Pitrelli, Jeff Plate, Tim Rice, Diana Ross, Jordan Rudess, Renata Tebaldi, Rosalyn Tureck, Jeff Scott Soto, Jerry Vale
Arts: Bob Bruman
Architecture: I.M. Pei
Literature: Oriana Fallaci, Rick Segreda, Summer Hill 7
Fashion: Jeffrey Beane, Liz Claiborne, Maria Di Angelis, Mary McFadden, Marilyn Miglin, Pauline Trigere
Sports: Derek Jeter, Jake LaMotta
Political: NYC Governor Mario Cuomo, Judge Judy
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