Antony (or Tony) Cicoria (born 1952), is a man who is famous for having developed an obsession for piano (listening and practicing) after being struck by lightning.
In 1994, when Tony Cicoria was 42 years old, he was struck by lightning near Albany, New York, while standing next to a public telephone.
Cicoria's heart had apparently stopped, but he was resuscitated by a woman (coincidentally an intensive-care-unit nurse), who was waiting to use the telephone.
[5][6] Cicoria suffered burns to his face and left foot where the electrical charge had entered and exited his body.
Although before his accident, he had had no particular interest in music, within three months of being struck by lightning Cicoria spent nearly all his time playing and composing.
In 2007, under the direction of Polly van der Linde, who runs an international piano camp for adults and children in Old Bennington, Vermont, Tony has given recitals at the Sonata Adult Piano Camp, in Bennington, Vermont, where he has played Chopin’s Military Polonaise, Op.
This performance was recorded live by Granada Media UK, BBC One, and German National Television.