Who's Tony

Tony Spero's interest in magic was sparked at age 8 when he met a fellow classmate whose hobby was magic. As their friendship grew, so did Tony's passion for the art. The following is a chronicle of Tony's journey through the realm of magic; from his introduction to the art of performance and perfecting his skills to his recent accomplishments.

His formal training began under English magician Derek W. Hilton, who stressed not only technical skill, but the value of entertainment as well. On March 26, 1977, Tony received his certificate from the course and began a collaboration with Hilton that would continue for 10 more years, before Hilton's return to England.

In 1979 Tony joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM), the world's largest magic fraternity. It was here that his talents as a performer were brought to the attention of his fellow magicians, winning the first "Teen Magician of the Year" award from Norwalk's IBM Ring #97 in 1980. He has also served as their sergeant at arms and vice president.

From the IBM, he became involved in two other magic organizations: the Society of American Magicians (SAM), and the Society of Young Magicians (SYM). He joined the SAM in 1985 and holds a dual membership with Assemblies #131, Danbury, and #33, Stamford. He has performed for their stage shows and banquets and won first place in Assembly #33's Close-Up Contest in 1994. He has also served as secretary and is a past president of Assembly #131. His involvement with the SYM Assembly #42, Stamford, began in 1989. His contributions there include coaching and lecturing at the club while also making himself available for private lessons.