“I always suspected I might have a talent for teaching because my mind always wanted answers to questions,” says pianist Michael Pellera, whose first serious jump into academia came at the rather late age of 34. “I was definitely winging it in those early years,” he remembers with a laugh. “My first group of students at Loyola included [drummer] Brian Blade, [pianist] Matt Lemmler and [pianist] Jon Cowherd. I kind of got thrown into the fire,” exclaims Pellera on facing such brilliant student...