“Choosing a piece for a student to perform was the first step on the road to performing at the PTSA Spring Festival at Weill Hall at Carnegie. Goals were set, hours of practice ensued, auditions completed. To be chosen was exciting for my students, and for me a feeling of accomplishment. All the preparations; gowns for the girls, suits for the boys, nerves before the performance, were rewarded by the applause as my students smiled from ear to ear. Memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Gus and Carol, for your dedication and hard work that went well over 40 years giving students the opportunity to perform at such a prestigious venue.

Carol, I’ll always remember your performance of The Banjo, by Gottschalk. It was outstanding!”

Dona Paventa

“As I have been looking over the photographs from the last 30 years, I have been reminded of how much the PTSA has meant to me. I first joined PTSA in 1983. I immediately appreciated the opportunities and the motivational drive that was felt by my students. For thirty years, I was so fortunate to have my students perform at Carnegie Hall through their winning PTSA competitions. I believe that these experiences were life-changing to my students. I was deeply honored to receive the 2018 Teacher of the Year Award at the Carnegie Recital. I also felt honored and privileged to give the opening remarks at 2018 and 2019 Carnegie recitals. The diverse offerings and multimedia recognition have been unique to this organization. My sincere thanks to Gustave and Carol Ferri, who founded and developed this fine society. There has never been anything else like it!”

Christine Dolinich-Matuska

“Performing at Carnegie Hall has been a lifelong dream come true for me, made possible through hours of practice and hard work, my parents and their dedication, the PTSA, and the patience and motivation of my piano teacher, Christine Dolinich-Matuska. It’s been over 25 years since I graced the stage at Weill Recital Hall, and I feel so honored and privileged to be part of this experience. Christine provided me with the technical skills and confidence to embark on this journey, and I was inspired and comforted to know that I was following the footsteps of so many of her other former students, who also performed at Carnegie Hall. Looking at the photos on this website, it’s touching to see so many others who have followed in this legacy. The skills that I learned through her guidance (working hard to succeed, but also embracing failure, practicing & exploring new pieces, performing under pressure) have been transformative for me, not only musically, but also through life. One other side benefit - my sister, Michelle, who is also a PTSA winner and student of Christine's, has been a great practice partner - our shared interest in piano and playing together over the years has helped to bring us closer – and for that, I am always grateful.”

Stephen P Luk - Student of Christine Dolinich-Matuska