Born of Italian and Albanian descent, I am a first-generation American who grew up in New York City in the 1950s and ’60s. At home, we spoke Albrescht, a rare fusion of Italian and Albanian, a dialect as blended as my heritage. My father worked as a tailor, and both my parents labored tirelessly to provide a stable home, an education, and a deep appreciation for our culture. Their love of art and music shaped me profoundly, laying the foundation for my career as a musician, published composer, conductor, and artist.
Yet, my path was not always clear. As a child of immigrants, I wrestled with the weight of a heritage that felt distant and antiquated, while the pulse of the city offered an identity that seemed more immediate, more alive. Drawn to the streets, I distanced myself from the traditions of my parents, believing, for a time, that they had little to offer my future. Like many of my generation, I navigated moments of uncertainty, rebellion, and risk, caught between the chaos and exhilaration of an era defined by change.
​"Art bridges where we come from and where we are going."
EAZ
It was only later that I came to understand the depth of my roots and the richness of the traditions I once resisted. My work—both in music and art—now seeks to honor that journey. I create as a way to bridge past and present, to weave together tradition and innovation, and to express the interplay between personal identity and universal experience. Much like the language I grew up speaking, my creative journey is a fusion of influences, shaped by the contrasting forces of heritage and modernity.
I hold a Master’s in Music Composition from Mills College in Oakland, California, but my path as a visual artist followed a different course. Without formal training, I began painting in my early forties while balancing a career in music and raising a family. What started as an exploration became a passion, and today I devote myself fully to creating and selling art. My work can be found in public and private collections and galleries, a testament to the lifelong process of discovery, reinvention, and storytelling through art.
