My name is Frank Feldman, Class of 1977. I was a music major who, although I didn’t study piano primarily with Arlene, had the privilege of taking many private lessons with her as well as playing in quite a few of her masterclasses.
To begin with, she positively glowed as a person – radiating kindness, compassion, deeply personal emotional and musical intuition, profound emotional intelligence as a player, as a teacher, as a friend – and last, but far from least, routinely imparting profound musical inspiration, in the most artless, giving, natural, inviting way. When she would modestly play a passage I or some other student had just played to demonstrate this or that (acc. to her), it was always a deeply illuminating and frequently overwhelmingly beautiful, revelatory experience – the beauty, the fierce, strong yet always gorgeous and velvety touch, the depth, the lyricism, the profundity, the drop-dead gorgeous playing always coupled with such passion and such intelligence. And such kindness. As a pianist and a human being. She was the warmest, kindest, most compassionate and encouraging teacher in the entire department – Brown, and Brown music students, were incredibly lucky to have her.
We were in touch these past few years, and I will treasure our correspondence the way I treasure my memories of her from 45 years ago. Spending time with and learning from Arlene Cole are among my most treasured memories of Brown University.
Thank you for the opportunity to share a few of my cherished memories of her.
Frank Feldman