About Us
An active writer, director, and performer, Richard Alvin White has seen his stage works performed at venues in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, and has directed dozens of plays and operettas for companies throughout the northeastern US.
As a performer, his successes range from leading dramatic roles such as "Arthur" in Camelot and "Emile de Becque" in South Pacific to comic leads such as "Minstrel" in Once Upon a Mattress and "Dick Deadeye" in HMS Pinafore.
Rich earned his Master of Arts degree in Humanities/Theatre Arts from California State University, and published his first book ("Writing a Screenplay") in 2000.
Maria Rivera White began her study of piano at the age of five. A precocious winner of numerous competitions, she gave her first solo performance with orchestra by the age of thirteen. After studying four years in Italy with Nunzio Zappulla of the Naples Conservatory of Music, she attended the Eastman School of Music, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree, studying with Barbara Lister-Sink and Blanca Uribe. She subsequently earned her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School.
In addition to offering private studio instruction since 1995, Maria was adjunct instructor of piano at Vassar College for eight years. While there she performed on the College’s annual Modfest, and performed the world premiere of Vassar composer Suzanne Sorkin's solo piano piece Falling through Crimson and Lead at Merkin Hall in New York City, later recording the piece as well.
Praised for her impressive technique, great clarity, and expressiveness, and her excellent rapport in collaboration, Maria has performed in such venues as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway and Alice Tully Halls, and the Kyoto International Music Festival. She continues to teach and to perform throughout the United States both as a solo artist and in ensemble with other musicians, including her sister Natalia (as the Rivera Piano Duo) and the operatic duo of Nina and Stefano Tanchietti.
Her teaching philosophy combines old-world high expectations and attention to technique with modern-day understanding of healthy motivation and self-esteem, in order to instill a love of learning and joy in making music.