I began playing music when I was 10 years old when my mother rented a clarinet for me.  I always had a fascination with sound but not the means to explore it until then.  My grandmother used to play jazz records when I would visit her, and the sound of the saxophone (particularly tenor) appealed to me as soon as I heard it.  This inspired me to pursue jazz through high school and into college. I finished my Bachelors degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Washington in 2005 and have had the opportunity to study with many great musicians from around the country, including Walt Weiskopf, Vern Sielert, Michael Brockman, and Marc Seales.

I am also known to play a bit of classical music here and there. A lot of the music theory found in jazz comes from the harmony found in classical, and the technique learned through playing classical music is beneficial to any musician.  Flute and clarinet lend themselves to classical music a little better than saxophone, but they are occasionally needed in jazz ensembles as well.  And hey, they're fun!  So I picked them up to round out my skill set.  

I have been offering private lessons in the greater Seattle area since 2006 and have worked with kids from some of the area's most prestigious music programs, including Roosevelt  HS Jazz, Garfield HS Jazz, Eckstein Middle School, and University Prep. I have also participated as a counselor and teacher in some of the area’s best summer music programs, including Camp Burton, West Side Music Academy's Summer Jazz Combo, and the Seattle Youth Jazz Ensemble.  I also perform on a regular basis, currently with Roadside Attraction, one of Seattle's oldest big bands.  Other groups I have played with in the past include Cordaviva, Sly Lothario, Doomsday Device, and Allen Stone.  

When not teaching or playing music, I like to spend time working in my vegetable garden and cooking delicious meals from the produce I grow.