My passion for music began when I was seven years old. It all started for me with composition and improvisation. I love to create my own original music and I have since the very beginning of my musical journey. To this day, composition and improvisation are some of my favorite things to do and favorite things to teach. My love of creating original music inspired me to write an educational book on the topic and develop my own unique method for approaching these topics.

My teaching philosophy includes an integrated method of intellectual and creative development. It is truly unfortunate that so often music theory is presented as a mere collection of naming systems and rules. To me, understanding music with the mind is a key ingredient to becoming an effective and inspired artist. In music lessons, I teach not just how to talk about music but the fascinating complexity of how music operates - the fundamental principles that illuminate the translation of sound into thoughts and emotional expression.

But musical creativity can't be a matter of only intellectualization either! Through a process of working on projects, receiving feedback, and learning key strategies for creating more of what you want in your music, we will dive head first into the art of creating original music. Depending on your goals, I can also incorporate instruction on ear training, arranging, orchestration, and music production (technology). And finally, together we will explore the deep introspective questions of what you want to express in your music and the vast constellation of possibilities to choose from.

I offer instruction in a variety of styles ranging from classical to jazz to rock to electronic. While providing a broad, synergistic foundation in musical skills and understanding, I also encourage students to pursue their unique interests and inspirations. On the first lesson with a new student, I'll always go over the options for potential areas of study and work with the student to develop an appropriate course of study customized to their needs and interests.