About Me

Philosophy

Music composition has always been my passion, a pursuit that has stayed with me wherever I am and through whatever else I am doing. From my early days as a singer-songwriter to the present day, I have always approached music composition as a vehicle for searching within to discover more about myself - what I think, what I am feeling, who I really am. While this introspective process may seem self-centered on its surface, I believe it is what drives human endeavor and interaction in general, not only in the arts, but in religion, in education, in athletics, and beyond. Even now, as artists and organizations focus intently on the complex issues that relate to racial, gender and economic inequality in our societies, I think that what we are really doing is looking to define what we, individually, believe and how we, individually, should respond.

My approach to writing music is not complicated. It begins with trust. I trust in my abilities to connect with myself through music. When working on a song, the process moves quickly. I do not worry too much about finding musical ideas, nor do I seek to develop them. Often, a verse, chorus, or sometimes even a complete song emerges in whole cloth. For me, the most difficult part is coming up with lyrics that effectively complement the music. In the heyday of my songwriting period - my mid-twenties - I began to feel constrained by the restrictions I had placed upon myself as a songwriter. Simple tunes with emotionally charged lyrics were less satisfactory, and Blues-influenced Jazz, which has also been an interest of mine, began to recede in my compositional output as well. It was clear to me that these forms no longer represented who I was becoming, and so I sought out more music education. While in college, my compositional interests expanded to include choral and chamber music, and I made some initial attempts writing for an orchestra. 

Over the years, my basic need to create music has remained constant, but my ongoing musical education and the demands of the various genres in which I work have created the need for a variety of approaches, increased intellectual effort, and a deeper understanding of compositional technique. The work I create now is more demanding and, perhaps because of that, more satisfying. When composing, I feel as if I am creating a new world, one that is free from the restrictions the temporal world imposes. And although I cannot put it into words, the process continues to help me define who I am by teaching me what I understand to be true. 

Background

Early
My interest in the piano began in Cupertino, California when, at the age of five, I was completely taken by a neighbor’s performance of Jack Fina’s “Bumble Boogie”. By age seven I was in Springfield, Massachusetts taking piano lessons from Dorothy Guion, a wonderful teacher, but more importantly, someone who could play the Bumble Boogie.  By the time I was 11, I was playing the Bumble Boogie too, as well as Chopin, Schubert, Bach, and Beethoven. I was also beginning to experiment with basic compositional ideas. By age 14 - influenced not only by the classical masters, but by Ray Charles, Mose Allison, and the Beatles as well - I had begun to play by ear and had joined a rock band, which enjoyed a fair amount of local success. After high school, I became a singer/songwriter for a time, traveling around New England performing original songs while accompanying myself on guitar or piano. Although the majority of my compositions since that time are “classical” in form and approach, my popular music and Jazz influences are never too far from the surface and often bubble through. 

College
At the University of Massachusetts, where I earned a Bachelor of Music degree, I studied piano with Fernande Kaesar and Marion Gaffney, and music composition with Robert Stern and Charles Fussell. At Smith College, where I earned a Master of Arts degree, I continued piano studies with Lori Wallfisch and music composition with Donald Wheelock and Ronald Perera, receiving two compositional awards for my work. Post-graduate work included study with composer and jazz pianist William Thomas McKinley and a brief stint singing tenor for John Oliver and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. 

Career
Shortly after graduation from Smith College, I began what turned into a lengthy career in high school music education.  I spent the first half of my career at Deerfield Academy (Massachusetts), where I taught music classes, directed choral and instrumental ensembles, and chaired the visual and performing arts department for a time. Relocating to Baltimore, Maryland, I continued to teach, conduct, and chair arts departments for the Bryn Mawr School (Baltimore) and then for Severn School (Severna Park).