Four musical discoveries shaped my life. When I was 13, sitting almost alone in a movie house on a Wednesday afternoon, I saw South Pacific. My musical tastes moved from Rock ’n’ Roll to Broadway shows. Four years later I saw The Mikado, which opened my ears to trained voices and the treasures of operetta. An LP record of Schubert’s Ninth, acquired during a scavenger hunt, brought the grandeur of symphonies to me; two years later, La Bohème once again changed my life and expanded my musical horizons. Thanks to these experiences, I majored in theater, wrote the book and lyrics to two musicals and an operetta, squeezed music courses and piano studies into every available elective in college, and spent 15 years actively involved in community theaters. By day I pushed little numbers around earning a livelihood (hardly lively, though) in an assortment of clerical jobs, but the radio was always tuned to the fine-arts stations. Many evenings and weekends were devoted to devouring and exploring classical music. When record stores hosted sizable classical departments, I spent many informative hours talking with knowledgeable staff members. My shelves are lined with an embarrassingly large collection of music albums and books, all of them played and read many times. They share shelf space with my other two passions: history and steamships. The walls in our house are covered with maritime art. Now, happily retired, I surround myself, my partner, and our four cats with the unalloyed joys of music. Five years ago, I wrote a letter to Fanfare, concurring with a review written by James Camner and expressing my passionate feelings on the subject. Upon receipt of the letter, Editor Joel Flegler (who accused me of being opinionated!) invited me to submit sample reviews. Two of them were printed, and Fanfare has enriched my life with the opportunity to make further musical discoveries and share them with readers. It’s a perfect life!