Private Instruction
Low brass faculty (trombone, euphonium, tuba)
Musicianship
Bachelor of Music Education and Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Influential teachers:
M Dee Stewart, Curtis Fuller, Peter Ellefson, David Baker
Additional studies/awards
As a performer:
Finalist, USAF Golden Band of the West Trombone Audition
Jazz Fellow, Ravinia Steans Music Institute
Finalist, Indiana University Concerto Competition
Ensemble Champion, Drum Corps International Individual & Ensemble Competition
Principal Trombone, Indiana University Concert Orchestra
As a teacher:
Top group ratings in ISSMA Jazz Band Competitions
Top group ratings in ISSMA Middle School and High School Concert Band Competititons
Top student ratings in ISSMA Solo Competitions
Two consecutive trips to ISSMA Class B State Marching Band Finals (2014, 2015)
I specialize equally in both classical and jazz music. I have experience teaching and performing many genres of music including Dixieland jazz, orchestral music, marching band music, Latin jazz, big band jazz, concert band, combo jazz, and more. My teaching philosophy stems from the school of Arnold Jacobs, former principal tubist with the CSO. I believe that the ear should be the guide to learning.
My teaching method focuses on helping students remove mental blocks to make playing as effortless as possible. I am also a believer in adaptive teaching and meeting every student where they are. No two students are the same, so I customize my teaching around each student and their individual goals.
Member, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network
Director of Community Engagement, Music Institute of Chicago
Hobbies/interests outside of music:
Baking and cooking, volunteering with homeless animals, playing soccer, Dungeons & Dragons.
Most memorable musical moment:
It's a tie between two things: performing the National Anthem for a crowd of thousands of band directors at the Texas Music Educators Association annual conference and writing and performing my original jazz composition at the Ravinia Festival.
What music means to you:
Music is special because it brings people together. Music is a universal language that people from any culture, background, or language can understand. Music also has the special power to express what words cannot.