1 9 1 2 – 2 0 1 0 ), ▁worked ▁for ▁social ▁causes , ▁and ▁her ▁father , ▁Alexander ▁P enne ys ▁( 1 9 1 2 – 1 9 9 4 ), ▁was ▁a ▁doctor . ▁Sol ▁Kap lan , ▁her ▁uncle , ▁was ▁a ▁pian ist - con duct or - compos er , ▁and ▁her ▁cousin , ▁Bor is ▁Gor el ick , ▁was ▁an ▁artist . ▁ ▁R ais ed ▁as ▁a ▁pro dig y , ▁P enne ys ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁studying ▁piano ▁from ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 , ▁and ▁dance ▁from ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 5 . ▁Her ▁primary ▁ment ors ▁in ▁California ▁were ▁Car mel ita ▁Mar acci , ▁dance , ▁Victoria ▁Front ▁and ▁A ube ▁T zer ko , ▁piano , ▁and ▁Leonard ▁Stein , ▁composition . ▁She ▁performed ▁her ▁first ▁solo ▁piano ▁rec ital ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 9 ▁and ▁performed ▁as ▁solo ist ▁with ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Phil harm onic ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 1 . ▁Other ▁ment ors ▁were ▁Ros ina ▁L hé vin ne ▁and ▁Art ur ▁Rub in stein . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁career ▁P enne ys ▁attended ▁B ever ly ▁Hills ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁continued ▁her ▁formal ▁education ▁at ▁Indiana ▁University ▁School ▁of ▁Music ▁in ▁Blo om ington , ▁Indiana , ▁studying ▁piano ▁with ▁Gy og ry ▁Seb ok ▁and ▁Men ah em ▁Press ler , ▁chamber ▁music ▁with ▁Jan os ▁St ark er ▁and ▁Josef ▁G ing old , ▁and ▁composition