When I was just eight years old I remember picking out the melody for the Star Wars theme on the piano at home. Finding the patterns on the keyboard, the sounds, picking out melodies by ear fascinated me. By the time I was in fourth grade I started piano lessons and continued then for four years. Along the way I studied Violin, I took up Clarinet or the school band in 6th grade and then transitioned to Bass Clarinet. By the end of High School I had migrated back to the Piano. Studying on my own I learned several songs and started writing at the keyboard. In this time I also picked up the guitar and started learning chords.
When I went to college I thought my days of music lessons were in the past, but I discovered the music department at UNCA. I studied recording arts and undertook private lessons on Piano while I was there. At times I accompanied the Community Chorus and played with the Community Jazz band as well as solo performances of the works I studied with my instructor.
Not long after college I had the opportunity to start teaching with the Asheville Music School. The fall of 1998 I had my first students and I’ve been helping others explore the rich world of music since then. Over the years I’ve taught beginners as young as five and more seasoned students in their 80s and 90s.
I try to gauge the level of the student and pace lessons to where they are at. That much said I work to draw out more. I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve had a student look at a piece and say they aren’t going to be able to play it only to look back and remember after they’ve finished it what they had said. It’s fun to see people surprise themselves with what they’re able to do.
I am currently located in Johnson City, TN and am starting my teaching studio again here.
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