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| Currently, Greg teaches a small studio of advanced pianists in his Pittsboro, NC home and is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association. Many of his students have won prizes in regional and international piano competitions. He has also taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an adjunct faculty member, and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Summer Piano Camp. Early in 2008, Greg served as an adjudicator for the 60th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, and was invited to return in the summer of 2008 to give recitals, master classes and serve as an adjudicator for the Great Melody School of Music Competition in the New Territories in Hong Kong. Greg has also given master classes, workshops, and served as an adjudicator for competitions and festivals across the United States. Since Greg began teaching in 1990, his piano students have won top honors in the following competitions: Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition at Southeastern Piano Festival at the University of South Carolina (2008); Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition (2008, 2007); North Carolina Symphony Concerto Competition (2005); Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition (2008); Durham Symphony Concerto Competition (2003); Winston-Salem Symphony Concerto Competition (2006); Tar River Orchestra Concerto Competition (2005); Mallarmé Youth Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition (2005); MTNA Senior Performance Competition in North Carolina (2007, 2004, 2003); MTNA Junior Performance Competition in North Carolina (2004, 2002); MTNA Senior Composition Competition in North Carolina (2006); MTNA Southern Division Composition Competition (1996-1998); MTNA Elementary and Junior Composition Competition in North Carolina (1996-1998); Campbell University High School Piano Competition (2004-08); CHMTA Festival of Auditions (1992-present); NCMTA State Contest Festival (1992-present). Greg currently teaches a small studio of dedicated students, many of whom plan to major in music in college. He teaches weekly lessons that vary in length from one to three hours. Longer lessons are needed at this level of advancement to cover technical work and longer repertoire selections. Greg incorporates theory studies and music history in the context of the lessons. Many of his students go on to study Advanced Placement Theory in high school. Greg feels that it is critical that students have a solid technical foundation in order to perform advanced masterworks, such as concerti by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev. He also believes that technical mastery frees up the ability of the student to express their emotions through a rich tonal palette and interpret great works of art. His students perform music from Bach to contemporary compositions, and several have premiered new works by living composers. For students who show an interest in composition and improvisation, Greg highly encourages them to devote time to these creative means of musical expression. Several of his students have won regional competitions for their compositions, and have written works for local performing groups. Greg stresses the importance of sight-reading and his students use their skills to perform chamber music and serve as accompanists in churches and local music organizations. Music is a vital part of a well-rounded education, and many of Greg's former students have chosen other careers and studied at such prestigious schools as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Brown, Stanford, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. 
Over the past three years, Greg has been working with Feldenkrais practitioner Candace Conino of Chapel Hill and has seen dramatic improvement in all aspects of his playing. Greg also applies Feldenkrais techniques to his teaching and has seen the same kind of progress in his students' work. Therefore, Greg is collaborating with Candace in creating a new model for piano playing and teaching, and plans to have it published. Greg and Candace will give workshops on this work across the United States in 2008-09, and eventually plan to hold an international piano institute in France at Chateau du Pin (www.sci-le-pin.com) for teachers and students. For more information on their workshops, click here. Joshua Brooks: Winner ~ MTNA Senior Performance Competition in North Carolina; Winner ~ Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition; Second Place ~ Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition at Southeastern Piano Festival at the University of South Carolina. Josh performed with the Raleigh Symphony in March 2008, and will perform with the South Carolina Philharmonic in October, 2008. Joey Carlstein: Second Place ~ Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition. Joey performed in the Winners Recital in June 2008 at the Kuscioszko Foundation in New York City. Emily Russ: Winner ~ National Association of Christian Schools Arts Festival Piano Competition at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. Laura Woodrum: Full Scholarship to attend Hollins University in Roanoke, VA in the fall of 2008 and double major in Music and English. Congratulations to All Students for their Accomplishments this Year! Joyce Wang (Age 13): CHMTA Festival of Auditions Honors Recital Valerie Davidson (Age 18): CHMTA Festival of Auditions Honors Recital; Music Scholarship to attend UNC-Greensboro and major in Music Education. Laura Woodrum (Age 17): MTNA Senior Performance Competition; NCMTA District Superior Honor Rating; Full Scholarship to attend Hollins University and major in Music and English. Joseph Shim (Age 16): Duo Piano Recital; Performed Prokofiev 3rd Piano Concerto for the Raleigh Symphony and the Chapel Hill Philharmonic Concerto Competitions. Mindy Yuan (Age 16): Duo Piano Recital; Performed Ravel's Concerto in G Major for the Raleigh Symphony and the Chapel Hill Philharmonic Concerto Competitions. Joey Carlstein (Age 12): Second Place in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition and Performed in the Winners Recital in June 2008 at the Kuscioszko Foundation in New York City; MTNA Junior Performance Competition; NCMTA Senior B Honors Recital; NCMTA Senior B State Superior Rating; CHMTA Festival of Auditions Honors Recital; Whiteville Community College Piano Competition Winner; Performed Beethoven's Second Piano Concerto for North Carolina Symphony Junior Concerto Competition. Emily Russ (Age 16): Winner of the National Association of Christian Schools Arts Festival Piano Competition at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC; MTNA Senior Performance Competition; NCMTA Senior B State Superior; CHMTA Festival of Auditions Honors Recital; Second Place in the Campbell University High School Piano Competition; Performed Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto for the North Carolina Symphony Junior Concerto Competition. Joshua Brooks (Age 16): Winner of the MTNA Senior Performance Competition in North Carolina; Winner of the Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition; Second Place ~ Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition at Southeastern Piano Festival at the University of South Carolina; Performed Brahms Second Piano Concerto with the Raleigh Symphony in March 2008; Will Perform the Brahms Concerto with the South Carolina Philharmonic in October, 2008; Performed for Olga Kern in a Master Class at Southeastern Piano Festival. Greg currently has openings in his studio. Please email Greg to schedule an audition for the 2008-2009 school year. Photo Gallery | |
 May 2008 – Piano Studio Recital at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, NC |
 May 2008 – Duo Piano Recital presented by Joseph Shim and Mindy Yuan at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, NC |
 March 2007 – Joseph Shim premieres Bill Robinson's Chamber Concerto with the Duke University String School Orchestra at Duke University |
 October 2007 – Joshua Brooks ~ Winner, MNTA Senior Performance Competition at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC |
 October 2005 – Aliyah Sanders-Walberg performs the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Tar River Orchestra in Rocky Mount, NC (Winner, Tar River Orchestra Concerto Competition) |
 December 2005 – Gene Goldstein-Plesser performs Mozart Concerto in A Major, K. 414 with the Mallarmé Youth Chamber Orchestra (Winner, Mallarmé Youth Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition) |
 May 2007 – Piano Studio Recital at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, NC |
 October 2006 – MTNA Junior and Senior Performance Competition participants with Carolyn and Jamie Shaak at Elon University, NC |
 October 2006 – Joey Carlstein ~ NCMTA Senior A Superior Honors Recital at Elon University, NC |
 October 2006 – Joshua Brooks at the MTNA Senior Performance Competition at Elon University, NC |
 October 2006 – Mindy Yuan performs in Master Class for Robert McDonald from the Juilliard School |
 October 2006 – Jacob Boehm and choir members from East Chapel Hill High School ~ Winner, MTNA Senior Composition Competition |
 2006 – McCallum Piano Studio in Carrboro, NC ~ Halloween Party |
 October 2006 – Halloween Party ~ Joseph, Joshua, Dayna and Greg rehearse Saint-Saens' "Danse Macabre" for two pianos |
 October 2006 – Halloween Party ~ "Who IS that creature?" |
 January 2007 – Piano Studio records at WDAV Radio in Davidson, NC |
 January 2007 – Joey and producer Jennifer Foster review recording (Joey was featured on the "Main Street Sessions" in 2007) |
 January 2007 – Aliyah records at WDAV Radio |
 February 2007 – Joey performs for master class with Dr. Hsia-Jung Chang of New York. |
 March 2007 – Joshua performs at the "Make-A-Wish" Foundation Ball in Raleigh, NC and receives a new grand piano! |
 March 2007 – "Make-A-Wish" Foundation Ball ~ Joshua learns that the new piano is his! |
 May 2007 – Aliyah's Senior Recital at Carol Woods Retirement Community |
 May 2007 – Aliyah and the GOAT Quartet perform Dvorak's Piano Quintet for Aliyah's Senior Recital |
 May 2006 – Piano Studio Recital at Carol Woods Retirement Community |
 December 2005 – Gene, Orin Laursen and Aliyah perform for Mallarmé Youth Chamber Orchestra concert |
 December 2005 – the OAK Piano Trio performs Shostakovich at the Durham Arts Council in Durham, NC |
 May 2005 – Gene wins Second Place in the North Carolina Symphony Junior Concerto Competition |