The Talented Pianist

Gregory N. Leet Shares His Schutz Memories
By Hanna El-Amrawi

Gregory N. Leet, the Head of the Music Department, is one of those people who have been able to stay on campus for as long as we can remember. During the seventeen years of working at Schutz, Greg has never managed to call in sick! What an immuned man! I wonder what his secret cure is.
From a young age, Greg had a deep passion for music. He was the musical one in the family and he often preferred to stay home playing the piano, instead of hanging out with his friends.
Greg was born in Albany, New York, but grew up in Massachusetts. He later enrolled in the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Oberlin College in Ohio where he earned a degree in both Piano Performance and French Literature. After great determination and effort, Greg managed to get his graduate degree from Columbia University in New York City in Historical Musicology where he completed his M.A and Ph.D. After fulfilling his dream of attending one of the top universities in the United States, Greg decided to come back to Egypt. “Since there are no universities teaching music programs in Alexandria, I am fortunate enough to find a music teaching experience at Schutz “, stated Greg.
When asked what Greg’s most memorable moment is, he replied with, “It is difficult to pin down one most memorable moment at Schutz. But perhaps it can be any moment where it is clear that the students and I are engaged in the process of really making music”.
Lately Greg has been able to collaborate with various Schutz teachers in professional music activities and performances. Greg is pleased to have worked on the musical Bye Bye Birdie with Mr. Bob Medina. He states that, “The combination of music and drama, to me, is one of the greatest genres of art and when presented well, can give lasting, wonderful and valuable memories to the audiences and participants”. Greg has also been working with Ms. Nona Petrosyan, a trained opera singer from Armenia, who also speaks Russian. Ms. Nona Petrosyan and Greg have given numerous recitals during this past year. Last April, they gave a recital at the Russian Cultural Center in Alexandria. “It is particularly nice for me to accompany the Armenian sons, as I had never done that before. It reminded me of my days as a vocalist in New York City”, explained Greg.
We are glad Greg has decided to continue his stay with us at Schutz! We are so pleased to have such a talented musician on our Schutz staff.