Still Playing: Jude Weinstein

A new series in which we interview a former student who’s still making music after lessons!

“I highly doubt I would be at the point I am now if it weren’t for lessons with Piano Power.“
-Jude Weinstein

Multi-instrumentalist Jude Weinstein took piano lessons with Audie Lomboy for eight years. After playing a recent sold-out show with Cooper Moore at the Color Club in Chicago, Jude reflects on his time as a Piano Power student, and the role music plays in his life. Hint: it’s big!

(Cooper Moore is featured above; Jude is second from left.)

What bands are you in, and what instrument(s) do you play?

I’m in two bands. I play keyboard and guitar in a band called Zamboni with other kids from my school. We mostly play covers, and all sorts of music. We have a shared playlist that we add songs to and pick off of that.

I’m also in a backing band for my friend Cooper Moore. I play drums for them. Cooper is a singer/songwriter from Libertyville, and we just played a sold-out show at Color Club in the city. We have lots more exciting stuff coming soon.

What bands or musicians are most influential to you and why?

I listen to so many different types of music, so it’s kind of hard to pick one specific band or musician. But some favorite musicians that have inspired me to work on my own music are Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, My Bloody Valentine, Mk.gee, and so much more.

How would you describe the role music plays in your life?

It might sound a little extra, but my whole life pretty much revolves around music. I’m always either working on my own music or preparing for an upcoming show, so music plays a major role in my life.

What was your favorite thing about your piano lessons with your teacher?

My favorite thing was definitely the amount of freedom I had to play pretty much whatever I wanted. Audie would let me pick just about anything, and it gave me so much inspiration to explore different genres and keep pursuing music.

How did your experience in lessons with Piano Power shape you as a musician?

I highly doubt I would be at the point where I am now if it weren’t for my lessons with Piano Power. Taking lessons not only gave me the eagerness to learn all sorts of music, but having a stable foundational understanding of the piano, and music in general, made it so much easier to learn other instruments.

How do you see music’s role in your life in the future?

I think music will absolutely continue to be the key aspect of my life. I plan to go to college to study music and make a career out of it!

Any upcoming shows you’d like to plug?

Yes! On July 19th me and Cooper Moore are hosting a non-profit music festival called porchlight fest: a july night on the northshore! We have five bands playing and it’s gonna be great! You can find tickets in both of our Instagram bios. And make sure to go listen to Cooper’s music!