Biography
FAMILY / BEGINNINGS
Born into a musical family, Phyllis and her three sisters sang and harmonized bedtime prayers with Mom and Dad. Younger sister Pam started at age two! Each daughter gravitated to a different instrument.
My Family – 1960
Mom (Ruth), Dad (Fred), me and our cat, Matilda (who loved to catch my bow) with sisters Winnie, Marilyn, Pam.
My love of the violin came from wanting to be just like my Dad. At age seven, I started private lessons with the conductor of the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra. At age eight, I was on stage performing with them.
When I was twelve, Dad caught me ‘strumming chords on my violin’ and wailing Del Shannon’s “Runaway”. I was immediately given a ukulele, and progressed to the guitar at thirteen. Shortly thereafter, Marilyn, Pam and I were performing folk songs at local venues.
Mom was a nurse and an accomplished pianist, singer, and songwriter. She composed beautiful songs during her courtship with my future father, a handsome intern at Schenectady’s Ellis Hospital.
During WWII Dad even took his violin to Maui where he was stationed, and composed a lovely piece of music, “Hannah’s Waltz”, honoring the Hawaiian family he met there.
EDUCATION / CAREERS
Prior to graduating high school in 1967, I had set my sights on being a concert violinist. However, my wise Mom helped me clarify that commitment by asking: “Honey, would you rather eat lunch or play your violin?” She continued, “When you’re doing something you truly love, you’ll forget to eat lunch.” With my lack of devotion to violin clarified, I attended SUNY Plattsburgh, graduating in 1971 with a degree in secondary science education, grades 7-12. Three years in the classroom was quite enough for me (!) so I returned to college and received a horticultural degree from SUNY Cobleskill in 1976.
While working in a garden center, my career path took another dramatic turn. I sold a plant to the District Sales Manager of Metropolitan Life, who was so impressed with my ‘needs assessment’ and commitment to providing him with the proper product, that he offered me a job in his company selling life insurance! Thus began my life-long career in finance, at age 29! Ultimately, I created a private practice as a Certified Financial Planner. I loved it! And yes, on occasion, I forgot to eat lunch. In 2015, after 36 years of devotion to my clients, I retired to delve more deeply into music.
MUSICAL HISTORY
While teaching High School biology in 1974, I was recruited as a guitarist and singer for a ‘70’s Rock ‘n Roll band and performed with them for five years.
During the ’90s, and as an aside to my financial practice, I accepted a position as choir director at Unity Church in Albany, NY. Our choir grew from 12 singers to 29. For two years in a row, we performed concerts and recorded an album from each (An Evening at Unity in 1998 and Unity In Song in 1999). I found a passion for choral directing!
1999 launched me in yet another direction. Please visit the FRIENDS In Harmony page.
