Jeffrey Cappelli

Jeffrey Cappelli was born and raised in River Forest where he now lives with his wife, Elizabeth and their children, Jonathan, Paul, and Julia.

He began studying piano with his parents, Amo and Nancy Cappelli. He received additional instruction from Alex Joseffer of Chicago and the late Donald Isaak of Northwestern University. He attended Oak Park and River Forest High School, where he was three times a concerto soloist with the student orchestra and received the Frederick Chopin award.

Jeff attended Indiana University with a scholarship from the MacDowell Artist Society, where he earned Bachelor and Masters degrees with Distinction. As a graduate student at IU, Jeff served as Assistant Instructor of Piano at the Bloomington campus and the Columbus Indiana extension campus.

Jeff's many awards include first place honors in competitions sponsored by the Society of American Musicians and the Illinois State Music Teachers Assn., the Geneva competition and the Steinway piano competition. Jeff has been piano soloist at the Unity Temple, with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, and Cantigny Concert Series, and performed his own concerts in the Chicago area.

Jeff founded the Cappelli Institute of Music in 1980 and he currently serves as the director. Jeff is also founder and president of Renaissance Craftsmen Restoration Inc. in Forest Park, a company renowned for artisan restorations of great vintage pianos.

Jeff currently serves as president of the Chicago Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild.