We recently connected with Larry Zeiger and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Larry, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, my parents instilled in me confidence, creativity, and hard work as the building blocks of my life. Teachers (especially in high school and at the University of Miami) and my close friends always encouraged me to be the person I am. I always loved the creative arts. On rainy days or snowy days of which there were many in Cleveland, I would often go to the public library and read plays, film scripts, and learn about famous artists.
At the age of 16 I developed Psoriatic Arthritis and at times could barely walk but my family and friends stuck by me and I learned to overcome the pain through my mind and creative thinking and enjoying the beauty of nature. I would always take my camera everywhere I would go and shoot photos of nature and the world around me.
Resilience through life, love, and the wonderful people that surround me on a daily basis!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Currently, I host monthly concerts at the Community Room of the Point Loma Hervey Public Library. As a pianist and composer, I have made contact with many talented musicians representing a variety of genres of music. I have always had a passion for photography and cinema and have had several photography exhibits in the last ten years. I often help former students with media projects and most recently produced a wonderful film by a great friend titled “Fuego” (Passion).
I continue to compose music and have produced two CD’s of original songs with some of the top musicians in San Diego performing on these recordings. Music is like therapy – I love creating original music and have done two music videos that have played in a variety of film festivals – “Meetchu in Machu Picchu – A Musical Journey” and “At the Bar.”
. As a former educator at Point Loma High School in San Diego, I created an English class in Cinema Arts where many of my students’ films won awards at festivals. In 2000, four of my stsudents and I received an all expense paid trip to the Telluride Film Festival where we met many distinguished filmmakers and attended several world premieres. In 2005 several of my students’ films were showcased at the film festival at the Mary Pickford Theater in Palm Springs which was quite an honor.
The second class I created was one in which we studied musical films and plays, and the final project was to create an original musical. I produced thirty-two of these musicals with casts of close to 100 students performing. I encouraged everyone to take the class even if they’ve never been on stage before, and it was amazing to see them sing, dance, and create spectacular stories. The productions, which were part of my English class, were most often sold out and over the 32 year period – nearly 3,000 students perfomed in these shows and over 70,000 people came to see them. The shows were the subject of articles in the LA Times, New York Times, People Magazine, etc – and my students were interviewed on CNN in 2003 for their production of STICKY FINGERS – A TALE OF SAKS, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE. My Cinema and Musical Theater program was recognized by the California Department of Education, the Old Globe Theatre, the San Diego City Council, Channel 10 Leadership Award, the Regional Emmy Awards, and other honors. In 2022 I was also inducted in the San Diego Music Hall of Fame.
I am still in touch with many of my former students who have inspired me with their incredible accomplishments. They have become successful authors, actors, directors, filmmakers, musicians, composers, choreographers, educators as well as doctors, lawyers, environmentalists, and politicians. Some have won Oscars, Emmys, Tony’s and more. I love meeting up with them and hearing their stories. In addition, the faculty at Point Loma High School where I taught for 34 years was nothing short of amazing – so creative and dedicated. My students and the faculty were truly a lifetime inspiration!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When I read Malcolm Gladwell’s best selling book, THE TIPPING POINT, I couldn’t agree more with the eseence of his key to success – the three qualities that have been so essential to my beliefs are connecting with others, good salesmanship,
and innovation or creativity. I would always teach these elements in all my classes. Growing up where my parents and teachers would always encourage creativity and education as keys to success was the essential part of my journey as well as being compassionate and understanding of others.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
When I was 5 years old, my parents had me take piano lessons. What they didn’t realize is when they dropped me off for lessons, my teacher would yell at me and tell me my hands were too small to learn to play piano – but I kept trying my best = but after a year, I told my parents I no longer wanted to take lessons. Over the years, I would listen to my talented older sister perform on piano – and decided to try to teach myself, but I it wasn’t working. When I was 15, my mother told me she saw an advertisement for a piano teacher that could teach anyone how to play any popular song in “six easy lessons.” I didn’t believe it, but my mother said I should at least take the six lessons and see what happens. So I was finally convinced. The teacher had a unique way of teachng – and I was able to play popular tunes after taking from her.
My mother and father and sister truly encouraged me in music and creative arts. And I play piano almost everyday of my life!
Contact Info:
Image Credits
photos were all by Larry Zeiger
and include images from –
Palm Springs Film Festival with students whose films were shown
Images from musicals produced at Point Loma High School
Images from music video
A collection of original photographs that I have sold
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
