Over 40 years of instruction & performance experience:

 

Rich was a singer/dancer as long as he can remember.  In elementary school he was a soloist in the special, SPECIAL chorus (yes, that was the group’s name), and sang/danced for the entire student body on many occasions.  He obviously knew his calling at an early age.  A perfectionist from the very beginning, Rich began a 12 year study of piano & continued his vocal/dance studies until he graduated high school.  Upon entering UCLA, Rich sought out the Theater Arts Department to add acting/directing to his list of skills, & has used all of them in his professional career.  As a NY actor in his 20’s, Rich realized that his real calling was to direct musical theater AND become an educator who can guide young people to a successful career in all areas of show business.

 

Rich settled down as a theater/music/piano instructor in Los Angeles, all the while directing over 100 regional musical theater productions in cities across the western half of these United States.  In 1987 an opportunity came his way that changed his life, becoming a founding director of the Hamilton Academy of Music & Performing Arts.  For 20 years Rich taught & beautifully guided some of the finest young talent in Los Angeles on their road to success in Broadway musicals & National tours, opera productions around the world, as recording artists in pop, jazz & country genres and various movie/television projects.  In 2007, Rich made the difficult decision to retire from public education, but continues doing private vocal/piano instruction & consulting in the performing arts area.

 

After retirement many organizations sought out Rich’s expertise & vast knowledge.  He decided to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Southern California Musical Theatre Guild.  This company is made up of some of the finest musical talent living in the greater Los Angeles area.  Each year they present a season of five musical theater staged readings that entertain audiences & students, while giving them a wonderful history of this marvelous American art form from it’s beginning to the present.