Sep 8, 2024 10:30 am

Enriqueta Somarriba (PS ’14)
Director of Education and Community, SpeakMusic Conservatory 

Dr. Mikowsky’s knowledge, dedication, and charisma were unparalleled. He taught me how to be faithful to the score while exploring an array of creativity and colors. He taught me how to listen. His teachings, however, went beyond the piano, encouraging students to go to museums, the theatre, to try new restaurants, mentoring us to live life to the fullest, like he did. In my case and that of many others, his mentorship continued after graduation, with email exchanges and conversations about music education and recordings, his advice filled with a wonderful sense of humor. He built a loyal musical family around him and I deeply treasure the friendships I have forged under his wing. I hope we continue transmitting his legacy for generations to come.

---

Ren Zhang (BM ’94, MM ’96)
Concert Pianist

There will never be another Solomon—a man who often turned “unbelievable” into reality!

His powerful personal character as well as his uncompromising artistic standards will live on in so many of us, inspiring us to keep on practicing, striving for the impossible…

---

Mateo Lorente (BM ’91)
Director and Piano Faculty, Rodolfo Halffter Conservatory, Móstoles, Madrid 

Understanding Dr. Mikowsky’s vision of music it is to approach beauty at its maximum degree. That tireless effort kept him alive for many years of trying to awaken students to the nuance of sound and flexibility of tempo. Both elements for him were pillars in this art. Music is unique and discreet; when it complains it doesn’t say why. It is somehow paradoxical how the beauty of music performance sometimes is not accompanied by human soul beauty. Solomon tried to blend them both. Only few got the opportunity to discover that gift. Obsessed with keeping his legacy eternal he didn’t realize that he already was eternal—thus eternity is made of the ashes of love. . .

---

Julian Yu (BM ’99, MM ’01)
Artistic Director, Joyous Music School, Piano Masters of New York, and New York International Youth Philharmonic 

You are remembered for your unwavering love for music, your dedication to your students, and your wonderful sense of humor. You will be dearly missed.

---

Daniela Bracchi (MM ’06, DMA ’12)
Precollege Faculty, Manhattan School of Music 

The loss of Solomon Mikowsky will leave a void in many lives, but especially those who will not have the honor to know his immense search for integrity in all things artistic. He taught me so much more than how to listen, so much more that had to gone into playing the piano. He made his students learn about art, architecture, world history, and everything in between. He did this all with witty humor, candid honesty, and unwavering dedication to his students. Dear Solomon, you are greatly missed.

---

Hayk Arsenyan (PS ’08)
Visiting Faculty, New York University Tisch School of the Arts and Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development 

My studies with Dr. Mikowsky, followed by the many years of traveling with him and performing in his festivals worldwide, got me close to an incredibly passionate teacher, who was not only a magnificent musician, but also a true mentor and inspiring person. His genuine honesty, integrity and generosity as both a musician and an individual, have had an immense impact on shaping me as a pianist and a teacher, and it is an honor for me to continue his invaluable legacy.

---

Robin Freund Epstein (BM ’85, MM ’87)
Precollege Faculty, Manhattan School of Music 

When Inesa requested a statement, I opened her email after rereading Yeats’ poem Among School Children. The last couplet, “O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,/ How can we know the dancer from the dance?” brought to my mind the uniqueness of Solomon’s life. Many of us live our art. He not only did that, but choreographed his own life so it was an art. The careers of his many students—another art. So, we carry him with us in furtherance of that goal, knowing that, despite a strong personality, he wanted nothing more than students to be distinctly themselves in pursuit of music and life. His talent, humor, honesty, generosity, and love will prove impossible to replicate in one single person passing through these entrance doors.

---

Sining Liu (DMA ’24)
Piano Faculty, Hebei Normal University 

Dr. Solomon Mikowsky was more than just a teacher—he was like a second father to me. His influence on my life reaches far beyond music, shaping the person I am today. I remember his generosity—how he stepped in to ensure I had the piano I needed to continue my studies during a time of financial difficulty. Dr. Mikowsky was not only a legendary figure in the music world but also in my heart. His teachings, philosophy, humor, and boundless support will remain with me always, guiding me in every note I play.

---

Yeontaek Oh (DMA ’24)
Concert Pianist 

Years ago, I described Dr. Mikowsky’s support and guidance as a lighthouse in the vast ocean, illuminating my path whenever I felt lost. Now, after his passing and my graduation, I believe in this metaphor more deeply. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed as a guiding light for all his pupils. Thank you, Dr. Mikowsky.

---

Kyriacos Souroullas (PS ’11, DMA ’19)
Piano Faculty, Lindeblad School of Music 

In the three years I had the privilege of being Dr. Mikowsky’s student, each lesson was a unique learning experience. However, the specific period when we worked on Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C Minor will forever remain etched in my memory. It was then when I witnessed the transformative power of his teaching. Through his intuitive cantabile approach to musical understanding (a dying art, nowadays), emotional mountains were moved, and the composer was revealed.

His musical presence and teaching philosophies will forever remain the guiding principles of my art.

---

Elina Christova (MM ’98, DMA ’06)
Elina Christova Piano Studio 

Solomon Mikowsky has left me with many words to play by. They still resound, spontaneous echoes from the past as I practice—a judicious suggestion, an astute opinion, a dry bit of humor. He also set an example in how to live and teach: his abundant generosity and unwavering dedication to his students, often surpassing what his obligations as a piano teacher required. His studio, where his presence could be felt in every corner, was a place of refuge and consolation. Nothing else beyond the notes existed there and these weekly lessons opened new ways to hear a phrase, to see the world. I mourn his passing but fortunately priceless memories remain. I will forever cherish these hours filled with curiosity and magic.

---

Weiwei Zhai (BM ’13, MM ’15, DMA ’22)
Piano Faculty, Bloomingdale School of Music and Lindeblad School of Music

Dr. Mikowsky played a crucial role in my growth, both as a musician and as a person. He is a generous, caring, and insightful educator. Beyond imparting valuable knowledge, he encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and continually evolve. My professor emphasized the importance of work ethic and creativity, fostering both in his students. I am deeply grateful for all the guidance and support he has given me.

---

Kookhee Hong (BM ’01, MM ’03, PS ’04, DMA ’11)
Professor, Irvine Valley College
President, Music Teachers Association of California, Orange County 

Dr. Mikowsky’s influence on my life and the music world is immeasurable. He was more than a mentor; he was a guiding figure whose teachings profoundly shaped my approach to music and education. The simple, powerful habits he instilled—like the yellow memo pad he always carried, diligently crossing off completed tasks, or the sharpened pencils carefully placed on his piano—taught me the importance of discipline, organization, and preparation.

Dear Dr. Mikowsky,

Writing my doctoral dissertation on your life and teaching philosophy was a great honor, deepening my appreciation for your contributions to music. Your influence will continue to live on through my teaching and the generations of students who will learn from your wisdom, passed down through me and others you’ve touched. You will always hold a special place in my heart, and your legacy will endure through the music and the lessons that echo in every note I play and every student I teach.

Thank you for being an extraordinary mentor and a guiding light in my life. I miss you deeply and will always cherish the impact you’ve had on my life.

---

Elena Belli (BM ’77, MM ’82)
Precollege Faculty, Manhattan School of Music
Piano Faculty, Hoff-Barthelson Music School,
Pianist & Assistant Conductor, West Village Chorale

What can I say about Solomon that hasn’t already been said? It’s a given that he was a pivotal influence in my life, studying with him from 9th grade through graduate school. I am grateful for the skills he installed in me — or should I say “forced” on me — that allowed me to have a career in music. He also went above and beyond, paying my way and actually flying with me to competitions. I remember we walked the length of West End Avenue, conversing with building supers, and I still reside in the apartment he helped find! I am thankful for my many years as his teaching assistant, an invaluable experience at the start of my professional life. Solomon, may you rest in peace.

---

Ruiqi Fang (MM ’13, PS ’14, DMA ’19)
Piano Faculty, Xi’an Conservatory of Music and
Co-Artistic Director, Hunter International Music Festival 

Solomon Mikowsky was a special and influential person in my life, both in and out of music. In music, he helped me open my musicality and mold my musical taste. I was also inspired by his mission to give back to his home country, Cuba. This desire to give back is one of the main reasons I moved back to my home country, China. I am truly grateful that I was able to work with Dr. Mikowsky for many years and I will miss his presence in every way.

---

Erica Xiaoyan Guo (PC ’11, BM ’15)

My seven years studying with Solomon Mikowsky was life changing. He taught me not only piano, but how to be an artist, whether by going to different kind of concerts, recitals, operas, and folk performances; reading; or encouraging me to keep the curiosity and always try to widen my vision. I appreciate his enthusiasm for music and his education forever.

---

Jennifer Chu (MM ’08)
Professor of Piano at East China Normal University, Shanghai 

From the first time I met Dr. Mikowsky as a teenager, his generosity and compassion made a deep impression on me. I found in him a true mentor who cared about every aspect of his students’ lives. From him, I learned to value the extra-musical details of life that feed and color our music making: travel opportunities, cultural experiences, friendships, fine foods! I took full advantage of his admonishment to students not to spend all their time in a practice room but to get out and experience life. He taught me to listen both to the music I was making and to the world around me, making me a better musician and, more importantly, a better person. I am forever grateful to Dr. Mikowsky.

---

Albert Kim (PC ’95)
Associate Professor of Piano, University of Central Missouri 

Dr. Mikowsky was my surrogate musical father. He raised me from childhood as a pianist with a long view of history and short patience for trendy or showy things. No detail was left untouched. He believed music lived in a person’s heart and drew it from me when no one else could. He gave me belief in myself. He predicted my future as an educator. I wish I had found the courage to say these things to you while there was still time. I wish I could still leave you a voice message, just to hear your assuring words again.

---

Peter Fancovic (BM ’12, MM ’14)
Riverside Music Studios Lindeblad School of Music 

Dr. Solomon Mikowsky was a big part of my six years at MSM. I cherish those years and his encouragement to search for the authenticity and individuality of a musician that comes not just from practicing and instinct alone, but also from the knowledge of performance practices, new generations as well as “Golden Age” pianists and understanding the score and what’s “in between the lines.” He encouraged exploring the richness of piano repertoire and getting outside the comfort zone as an artist, staying curious and well rounded. Beyond music, there was his personality, his humor and caring nature that will remain in my fond memories of him.

---

Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz (PC ’84, BM ’89, MM ’91)
Filipino Concert Pianist, Educator, Artistic Director 

Dr. Mikowsky is responsible for cementing my musical and artistic principles, and instilled in me why I should go beyond lengths to defend them without compromise. Through him, I gained the acumen to equipoise a vast sea of knowledge, logic, skill, history, literature, culture, and most importantly, how to trust my instincts, which he called “the closest thing to the truth.”

My personal relationship with Dr. Mikowsky was like what all loving relationships ought to be: perfect imperfection. Or just like in piano—the lonely struggle of an imperfect pianist to practice until it is near perfect, in order to transform lives (or at the very least please) a plethora of imperfect humans, accomplished with the awareness that even practice can never achieve perfection.

In August 2020, during the pandemic lockdown in Manila, I had sent him a home video recording of Franz Liszt’s transcription of Robert Schumann’s Widmung. He immediately emailed me back saying, and I could hear his tender tenor voice while reading it, “One thing I want to make clear, stating it with the greatest sincerity: your performance of the Schumann was absolutely great! This is as great as it can be, having heard this beautiful Schumann song as a Liszt etude too many times.”

But then, in a subsequent email: “your piano sounds bad, why don’t you have it tuned?” To which I replied: “really? in a pandemic lockdown?”

Perfect imperfection.

Dr. Mikowsky continues to change the direction of the melodies of our lives, gathering us to be in harmony, dynamically coloring the nuances of our character, circumnavigating through an overextended coda, in the eternal pursuit for music to never ever reach a cadence.

WATCH Jovianney’s video tribute to Solomon Mikowsky

---

Inesa Sinkevych (PS ’06, DMA ’10)
Co-Head of Piano Department and Piano Faculty, Manhattan School of Music  

Solomon was a pivotal figure in my life, my most important teacher and beloved mentor. In addition to his enormous teaching output at the Manhattan School of Music, he traveled from New York to Chicago every three weeks for 11 years to teach several talented students, and I was incredibly lucky to be the first one of them. To many of his students, including myself, Solomon was like a father figure, deeply caring not only about our professional development, growth, and success, but also about our personal lives. He developed our curiosity and ardently insisted that we broaden our scope not only from a musical perspective, but as artists and citizens of the world. His zest for life and passion for finding beauty in music was inexhaustible. He loved art, opera, great conductors, great food, but most of all he enjoyed making a good joke. His teaching philosophy formed a strong foundation for my own teaching, and his principles echo in my mind every lesson I give. I have no doubts that Solomon’s legacy will be carried by his numerous students around the world for many generations to come.

---

Alexandra Beliakovich-Shkoda (BM ’10, MM ’12, DMA ’16)
Music Director, Church of St. Mary the Virgin and
Assistant Choir Director and Adjunct Professor, Seton Hall University 

Dr. Mikowsky has always been—and will always be—a great source of inspiration in music as well as in life. We, his students, carry with us his sharp and witty criticisms, yet we also remember how he always believed in us and how much he supported us. He still does. I greatly miss his unique sense of humor, his inexhaustible energy, his contagious curiosity about life and culture, his admiration for Shura Cherkassky, and his strongest belief in the intrinsic value of art. There is no end to this list, and to my gratitude.

---

Jiayin Li (DMA ’23)
Piano Faculty, Manhattan School of Music 

Dr. Mikowsky was not only an exceptional pedagogue but also the most dedicated teacher I’ve ever known. He gave me everything, profoundly transforming my life in ways words can’t fully express. He was like a second father to me, guiding and nurturing me with boundless care and compassion. His persistence and high expectations could sometimes be demanding and even harsh, but they always came from a place of deep kindness and a genuine desire to see us succeed. He pushed us beyond our limits, not to be difficult, but to help us discover our true potential and grow into the best versions of ourselves.

His wisdom, strength, and unwavering commitment left a lasting mark on my heart. The lessons he imparted and the values he instilled in me will stay with me always. I am eternally grateful for the profound impact he had on my life, and I will forever cherish the memories of his guidance and the way he helped shape who I am today.

---

Jenny Q Chai (DMA ’13)
Founder, FaceArt Institute of Music
Piano Faculty, University of California, Berkeley 

I cannot thank Dr. Mikowsky enough for his ongoing support over the decades. When I started the FaceArt Institute of Music in 2011, he, along with Inesa, flew to Shanghai with some of his students and gave master classes for our grand opening. On our tenth anniversary, he still flew all the way from New York to support us! He was always so honest, real, and full of wisdom.

The most important thing for me was how Dr. Mikowsky formed the bonds between his students. He organized tours in Europe and Canary Islands where we played concerts and shared great time together. It is the most precious thing for me that his students come from all over the world and now we love and support each other around the globe!

---

Wael Farouk (PS ’07)
Piano Faculty, Manhattan School of Music 

I was very fortunate to cross paths with Solomon. A great and dedicated teacher, an extraordinary musician, a loyal human being.

---

Simone Dinnerstein (PC ’89)
Piano Faculty, Mannes School of Music 

Simone spent the formative years of her youth studying with Solomon Mikowsky, before studying with Maria Curcio in London and Peter Serkin at The Juilliard School. She has released thirteen albums which all topped the Classical Billboard charts, and in 2022 was nominated for a Grammy. However, a most special recording was Mozart in Havana, which came about after Dr. Mikowsky brought her to his festival in Cuba and introduced her to the fabulous Havana Lyceum Orchestra and conductor, José Antonio Méndez Padrón. The release of the album was marked by a concert tour of the United States, where warm and enthusiastic crowds cheered the arrival of the Cuban musicians.

---

Sofya Melikyan (MM ’06)
Concert Pianist  

The emptiness that Dr. Mikowsky’s absence leaves in our hearts and lives is enormous, but bigger is the love and the generosity that he spread during his rich life-path. Bigger still was his unconditional dedication to music and to his students, the passion with which he lived every day and with which he embraced his vocation as a pedagogue. The years spent in his studio were very important and made me have a different insight on many issues, not only musical but also individual. His capacity to observe, to detect and to develop the personality and the individual qualities of each student was unique, as were unique his sharp sense of humour, his outspoken nature and his love for life and music.

---

Gustavo Díaz-Jerez (BM ’92, MM ’94, DMA ’00)
Professor of Piano, Higher School of Music of the Basque Country, Musikene

I met Dr. Solomon Mikowsky when I was 16 years old at the “Infanta Cristina” Piano Competition in Spain. He made such an impression on me that I decided to complete my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and DMA degrees with him at MSM. During those years he helped me develop and mature not only as a musician, but also as a person. He was aware of my passion for science, composition, and contemporary repertoire, and he encouraged it. He had the rare talent of teaching students with great rigor while bringing the best out of them, enhancing their unique musical personalities. He was a maker of true artists. He was my musical father and his artistic influence perdures in me to this day.

---

Mijung Lee (PC ’08, BM ’11, MM ’13, DMA ’19)
Piano Faculty, Lindeblad School of Music 

Having studied with Dr. Mikowsky for 14 years, it is difficult to describe all his influence in a few words. One of the last repertoires he worked on with me was J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations—in which, after a few lessons, he advised me to go study with the renowned Bach scholar Kenneth Cooper. Mikowsky felt that this particular composition was beyond his expertise, and he was curious to learn from another pedagogue. When I returned from working with Cooper, I distinctly recall Mikowsky’s exact words: “Was I far off?” To which I remarked: “Not at all!”

Despite all his legacies, nothing stopped him from being curious and eager to learn. It is something that we as artists should remember to do.

---

Adam Kent (BM ’86, MM ’87)
Music Faculty, State University of New York at Oneonta
and MSM Precollege Division 

Even when I was apprised of Solomon’s grave condition at the end, there was a part of me that was sure he would pull through. He was indomitable; he would always be there. He instilled respect for professionalism even in his youngest students, championed individuality, and always reminded us that music is about communication above all. The ride was sometimes bumpy; he could inflict self-doubt with a single barbed observation. But he also knew how to instill confidence and—more importantly—how to define the contribution of every musician. There has never been a “Mikowsky” style of playing, because he cultivated each student’s unique musical voice. There is not a body of knowledge or a cachet of secrets for former students to pass along; rather, there is an outlook on living life and filling it with music which we hope to transmit. Solomon may have winced at the Yiddishisms of his youth, but I know his memory is already a blessing.

---

Yuan Sheng (BM ’95, MM ’97)
Professor of Piano, Central Conservatory in Beijing 

For long but still too short years, Solomon had shared his passion, knowledge, and wisdom on music and arts, history and culture, life and the universe with each and every one of us who has had the fortune to know him, even though he was fearlessly convinced that he was going to a “different place” than the rest of us, I feel he has never departed as his love, sensitivity, and wit will stay in our memory and spirit for years to come.

---

Po-Wei Ger (BM ’18)
Candidate for Doctor of Musical Arts, Manhattan School of Music 

Dr. Füting talked about how we only feel the presence during absence, and now I’m experiencing this more than ever. It is strange to not see Dr. Mikowsky around the school. Curious about every aspect of life, he was more than a teacher to us. A true visionary, I found myself always lagged behind him slightly. I remembered him advising me to embrace the musical works of our time, and me shying away from the strange-to-me notations back then. Now I found myself curious about new music more than ever. He told me to play with more passion, and now music is meaningful only with the fullest devotion. We not only lost a great teacher, we lost a greater friend and a family member.

---

Edward Neeman (MM ’08)
Piano Faculty, Australian National University 

I first met Solomon in 2004, after competing in an international competition. He was generous in his comments while explaining how I was far too rough and undisciplined. Two years of a Master’s degree, many private lessons and many meaningful conversations later, if I have not yet tamed my worst musical excesses at least he gave me the ability to truly see and appraise myself as an artist. Solomon was a brilliant musician who understood what his students really needed (but often did not want!) to hear to advance on their own musical journey. Even now, I can almost see him looking down at me after every performance, and telling me, “Much better in the Beethoven Sonata. But why play Ravel so fast?!”

---

Misha Namirovsky (PC ’98, BM ’01)
Associate Professor, Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing 

With every passing year, Solomon Mikowsky’s influence on me becomes stronger as a kind of shining light of aspiration. I am deeply saddened that he is no longer with us.

Solomon’s generosity is unique both in its kind and breadth. He was generous with his nurturing dedication for his students, with his praise and support, with his demands and unapologetic criticism, with his biting humor and his appreciation for every student’s individualism, and with his resources. Solomon was real, reliable, sincerely caring, deeply professional, full of integrity, and very successful—rare. His legacy will live on in all his students and reflect far beyond his incredible musical teaching – in how we treat our profession and our students. A legendary figure that touched many lives.

---

Aaron Shorr (PC ’79, BM ’83, MM ’84)
Director of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 

A tribute to a great teacher who has been one of the main influences on my life is no easy prospect. Words seem inadequate to express the breadth and depth of my years of study with Dr. Mikowsky. I feel lucky to have started my studies with him when I was 12 years old, and then continuing into my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, setting me up for a life in music that I never could have imagined as a naïve youngster. I was lucky to benefit from Mikowsky’s unswerving dedication to training young pianists as well as nurturing the more mature pianists that I looked up to. I will always cherish the camaraderie of being in his class, where he created a special environment for learning and sharing that nurtured the highest musical standards. It is with love and gratitude that I offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Mikowsky.

---

Tatiana Tessman (PS ’10, DMA ’17)
Artistic Director, Mid-America Performing Arts Alliance 

I met Dr. Mikowsky in 2004 at the Panama International Piano Competition, where he was on the jury. There I also met many of his students: Inesa, Sasha, and Yung Wook, and I was touched by how deeply and genuinely he cared for each of them. His support for his students was legendary. We bonded almost instantly, and it was the start of a decades-long relationship that formed me into who I am today. I will never forget his generosity in bringing me to New York to pursue my DMA. As a teacher, he challenged my understanding of music and its limitless potential by inviting me to play music by underrepresented and living composers. I will miss his warmth, his zesty jokes, humorous stories, and love of life. Rest in peace, dear Solomon.

---

Chun Wang (DMA ’20)
Board Member, Piano Teachers Congress of New York 

Dr. Solomon Mikowsky was the first teacher who opened my eyes to the incredibly diverse world of modern and contemporary piano literature. His guidance forever changed my view on new music; he was honest, passionate, and cared deeply about the artistic development of each of his students. He will be missed dearly by all of us as his students, colleagues, and friends. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.