Occupation: Classical musician. I am a professional cellist.

Family: Kersti is my wife and my son, Jack, is 5 years old. He attends kindergarten at Head O’ Meadow.

Pets: Sadly, we lost our little girl, Diva, this summer. She was a 4-pound Yorkshire Terrier. She would have been 18 on September 20; she died August 25. I am crushed. We also have two parakeets, Baby and Chloe, as well as a betta fish, Shrimpy.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We chose Newtown in 2011 as our home when we purchased Boxwood Farm on Taunton Hill. We resided in New York City until 2018, when we moved to Newtown full-time for our son to attend the great schools.

What do you like to do in your free time? I’m Italian, so I love to cook and entertain! I have also enjoyed restoring our 1790 antique farmhouse. We are blessed by wonderful neighbors and this amazing community.

Do you have a favorite book or author? Tough call. But at moment Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I enjoy the classics. I have read Leo Tolstoy — War and Peace, Anna Karenina — and Ernest Hemingway — The Old Man and The Sea. Often, I feel like I am from a different era.

What is your favorite travel destination? I am a lucky guy... I travel for a living and have seen most of the world. I love Connecticut, especially in fall and winter. I do have a soft spot for Europe, especially London and Tuscany, Italy — don’t forget Barcelona. Oh, the seafood is to die for and there’s architecture of Gaudí.

What is the best part about Newtown? Without a doubt, the top of Castle Hill. Looking down onto Trinity Church and the flagpole in background reminds me of Salzburg, Austria. I drive past it every day in town.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My mother and late father who worked hard to provide for me the best education available, as well as a stable environment that allowed me to thrive and achieve results that have made me who I am today.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? There are so many people to admire in this world. I can think of at least a dozen, starting with Albert Einstein and ending with John F. Kennedy. I would be interested in Kennedy’s take on where the Democratic Party is today versus the early ‘60s. Would he embrace Socialism, specifically Bernie Sanders? What are his thoughts on Donald Trump?

Who is your favorite musical artist? My favorite artist of all time is a toss-up between Mozart and Beethoven. Definitely two of the greatest geniuses of all time. JS Bach is not far behind. I also adore Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, and many others. The only music I don’t like is rap.

What is your favorite TV show? I really don’t watch television, but as a young child I enjoyed Dallas and Dynasty. I loved the beautiful homes and the drama.

What is your favorite food? Two-inch thick grilled porterhouse steak, rare of course, accompanied with roasted fingerling potatoes and side of creamed spinach. Paired with a great Bordeaux or Burgundy — perhaps Chateau La Tour or Romanée-Conti. Did I mention I collect fine wines? My dream meal.

What is your favorite quote? “Every wrong seems possible today and is accepted. I don’t accept it,” by Pablo Casals.

What is something you cannot live without? Freedom and justice for all. I have traveled the world. We are very lucky to be born in this amazing country. Socialism or communism is not an option.

What is your proudest accomplishment? For many years, I was very proud of my accomplishments as one of America’s most esteemed classical cellists. I played in Carnegie Hall and many of the great halls in North America and abroad as a soloist with Symphony Orchestra, Recitalist and Chamber musician. I was a lucky guy to make a living doing what I love. However, in the big picture, that’s not really important. I hope I can be an inspiration to my son and younger generation to aspire for even greater things then I accomplished. World peace? Cure for cancer? I would settle for a cure for the common cold.