 At a young age he showed considerable talent as a pianist, attending the Juilliard School along with pianist Van Cliburn as a student of Rosina Lhévinne.While later studying in London with famed pianist Dame Myra Hess in 1959, Joel Rice was introduced to Yaltah Menuhin, sister of violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who had come to play in the Bath Festival.A year later, after their marriage in America on Joel's 27th birthday in 1960, the young pianists were invited to play together at a festival in California.