From an early age, it was clear that Cole was a gifted child with an insatiable curiosity. By 18 months, he showed signs of exceptional recall, and by age 3, his advanced conversational skills led him to seek out adults over children for deeper interaction.

At age 9, while preparing for a holiday visit, Cole discovered a toy keyboard meant for his toddler cousin. The cousin soon lost interest—but Cole was captivated. Six weeks later, after daily after-school sessions, he turned to his father and asked, “Daddy, does this sound like Mozart?” Then, to his parents’ amazement, he played along to a Mozart piece from YouTube. His focus stayed entirely on the keyboard—not the video—revealing he had memorized the piece by ear.

That night, the family headed straight to the music store to replace the toy with a real teaching keyboard. Within three months, Cole had mastered most of the training lessons and began requesting formal instruction. Soon after starting formal lessons at age 10, Cole began creating his own classically inspired works. 

Awards & Recognition

  • 4th Place-Golden Key Piano Composition Competition, Senior International Division, “Sonata No. 1 in E Flat Minor” (2020)
  • Gold Award - Golden Key Music Festival of the United States, “Theme in Variations in E flat Minor” (2019)
  • 2nd Place Award - Eric Steiner Composition Competition, "Ballad No. 3 in C Minor" (2019)   
  • Showcase Spotlight Award - NJ State Teen Arts Festival, Chopin: "Mazurka in A Minor" (2018)
  • 1st Degree Award - Golden Key Music Festival Piano Composition Competition , National Division , "Ballade No. 2 in B Major" (2018)
  • Silver Award - Golden Key Music Festival of the United States, “Ballade No. 2 in B Major” (2018)
  • Silver Award - South Jersey Music Teachers Assoc. Piano Technique Competition, "Burgmuller: Tarantella, Op. 100 No. 20 (2018)
  • Highest Honors - Theory of Music Level IV Test, South Jersey Music Teachers Association (2018)
  • 3rd Degree Award - Golden Key Music Festival Piano Composition Competition, "Rhapsody No. 1 in F Minor" (2017)
  • 1st Place - Eric Steiner Composition Competition, “Tango in D Minor” (2017)
  • 2nd Place - Eric Steiner Composition Competition, "Impromptu No. 2 in D Minor" (2016)
  • 2nd Place - Eric Steiner Composition Competition , "Nocturne No. 6 in G Minor" (2015)

Music Study

  • Penn Chamber, University of Pennsylvania | Instructors: Yuko Izuhara Gordon, Michael Djupstrom
  • Settlement Music School, Mary Louise Curtis Branch, Philadelphia, PA | Music Theory/Composition Instructor: Roberto Pace
  • Rowan Community Music School, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ | Instructor: Dr. Alexander Timofeev
  • Susan Leiser Piano Studio, Hammonton, NJ | Instructor: Susan Leiser

Performance Repertoire

BACH:
o   French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: Allmande
o   Prelude in C Major, BWV 846
BEETHOVEN:
o   Sonata Op. 2 No. 1 in F Minor; Movement I & IV
o   Sonata Op. 49 No 1 in G Minor, Movement I
CHOPIN:
o   Nocturne Op. 9, No. 1 in B Flat Minor
o   Nocturne Op. 48, No. 1 in C Minor
o   Nocturne Op. Posth. In C Sharp Minor
o   Mazurka Op. 17, No. 4 in A Minor
o   Waltz Op. 69, No. 1 in A Flat Major “L’Adieu”
o   Waltz Op. Posth. In A Minor
o   Polonaise Op. Posth. in G Minor
o   Prelude Op. 28, No. 15 in D Flat Major “Raindrop”
DEBUSSY:
o   Clair De Lune
o   Arabesque No. 1
o   Doctor Gradus ad Panassum
LISZT:
o   Romance S.169 in E Minor
o   Grandes Etudes di Paganini, No. 5 “La Chasse”
MOZART:
o   Sonata K. 545 in C Major
o   Sonata K. 283 in G Major, Movement I
o   Sonata K. 331, Movement III “Alla Turca”
RACHMANINIOFF:
o   Prelude Op. 3 No. 2 in C Sharp Minor