As Seymour: An Introduction opens, we see an elderly man giving piano lessons to VERY talented pianists. His gentle instructions address tiny details in the performances that we in the audience can’t notice – such as how deeply to press the piano key. Each of his tips is constructive and easy to understand As exacting as his corrections are, his overall demeanor never fluctuates from entirely supportive. This extraordinary teacher is the concert pianist Seymour Bernstein.
Bernstein long ago abandoned a career in the spotlight. We’re meeting Bernstein only because the actor Ethan Hawke met him by chance and benefited from his life advice. Hawke directed this film.
Thank you, Ethan. It’s a deep privilege to meet this gifted and kind man, and spend an hour-an-a-half watching him treat others as he does. When the Wife and I caught a screening, no one left the theater until the end credits were completed.