[1] Having first studied piano under his sister, Florence Pratt Morey, he, at the age of sixteen, continued his music instruction in Berlin with Martin Krause and Rudolph Ganz.

Later, in New York City, he studied piano under Josef and Rosina Lhévinne, counterpoint with Rosario Scalero, and orchestration with Modest Altschuler.

The three movements were musical portraits of his friends Lee Pattison, Guy Maier, and Edwin Sauter.

An orchestral version of the piece, under the title Tre Ritratti Characteristici, won the Swift Symphonic Contest in 1935, and was subsequently premiered by Frederick Stock and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

[2] His set of variations for orchestra, Karma, won first prize in the 1928 International Columbia Graphophone Competition.