As an ethnomusicologist/world arts researcher and an award-winning composer whose music has been described as "what Renaissance composers would have written if they had heard gospel music," I enjoy being known for music that draws from many sources, is intellectually rigorous, and is pleasant to the ears. Amongst other things, I am also an active Horn Player and am an advocate of glass musical instruments, such as the Glass Harp. I believe that art forms can be used as a medium for helping communities reach their goals. I graduated from the Greatbatch School of Music at Houghton College with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition, where I also studied Philosophy and Linguistics. In addition I have been awarded a Master's Degree in World Arts with a minor in Linguistics from the Center of Excellence in World Arts at Dallas International University. As a composer, I have worked with ensembles such as the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Christ Church Fitchburg Choir, the Saxsquatches, and the A.D. Oliver Middle School to premiere new works. Likewise, I will be able to help students learn how to work with diverse groups of musical ensembles, and people. As a Horn player, I have played as a soloist, as well as in chamber ensembles like brass quintets and wind quintets. Additionally, I have played in numerous different large ensembles, in all four horn parts, including principal horn, and held office in many of them as well; I was the head field conductor of my high school marching band, and the president of the Houghton Symphony Orchestra during the 2017-2018 season to name a few. As a researcher and admirer of artistic expression across the world, I have studied Scottish Highland Dancing, done research on how games and sports can be analyzed as forms of cultural expression, joined a black gospel choir, and learned proverbs and sayings from a number of cultures, amongst various other endeavors. I am concerned that my students are able to not only become better musicians, but to become better people, both intellectually and in terms of moral character. In pursuit of these goals, I think that musicians should draw from other components of their life to help them understand their own music more effectively. Because of this policy, I am willing to teach students of any skill level, and help them with whatever their personal goals are, as well as to push them to see their own music from other points of view.