JJ Frank

I began playing the piano at age fifteen, being self-taught for the first two years before starting lessons. In the beginning, I played by ear. There were a lot of bands playing around Ocean Beach (in San Diego) where I grew up surfing. They played right on the beach there, playing mostly blues so I would go home and play what I heard.

But I fell in love with classical music: particularly Beethoven and Bach. It turned out to be fortuitous that I so avidly pursued classical piano, theory and composition because all of the music I have studied in the interim has been based on the same fundamental elements of melody, harmony, rhythm and expression.

Besides playing in every kind of band, and every kind of music, I made a special study of Baroque music and Figured Bass. I became skilled enough to play harpsichord continuo with the San Diego Symphony Chamber Orchestra.

After playing for a few years in hotels and restaurants around Santa Fe, I became the Music Director at Las Campanas for twelve years. I played in or produced many different shows, working with the Santa Fe Symphony, The Santa Fe Opera, and performers in every style of music.

Music Education

San Diego:
Vivian Braun – Classical Piano
Daniel Burton – Classical Piano
Bud Conway – Jazz Piano
Liz Hamilton – Harpsichord and Figured Bass
Anthony Newman – Harpsichord and Figured Bass
Robert Heninger  – Theory and Composition
David Ward-Steinman – Composition

Los Angeles:
Dick Grove School of Music

Santa Fe:
Sergio Rodriguez – Classical Piano