Piano with Andrew M.

The first time I started teaching, it was in the hallway outside the band hall in my junior year of high school, giving some pointers to an enthusiastic young freshman who wanted to learn a few cool "licks" to play on his alto saxophone. As a lifelong musician and writer, I've been teaching quite a bit since then. At the University of North Texas, I spent my college years playing in bands, teaching music lessons and working as editor of the student newspaper. Since then, I spent another four years gigging as a saxophone and keyboard player in Austin while simultaneously working full-time as a journalist and editor for local newspapers. My experience has taught me how much I enjoy experiencing those joyous moments of realization among my students and staff, whether it's fiddling with a few notes over a blues progression or perfecting an essay or story. Music and writing are both ultimately about individual expression. The more we study the arts, the more we understand ourselves. I hope to hear from you soon.