BEYOND MUSIC

Welcome! Now that you have had a chance to get to know me professionally, here is a look at my life outside of music and teaching.

I was raised in the beautiful state of Vermont. I still love recharging there every summer and getting ready for the upcoming season. The rolling green mountains, natural beauty and simpler way of life will always feel like home. But winter, I don’t miss that!

When I was 12, I was diagnosed with asthma and given an inhaler. A few years later another medicine was added, and another and another. Fear of lack of health coverage encouraged me to pursue a safe career path. After too many challenging years, it turned out to all be a misdiagnosis that was easily treatable. Climbing Half Dome had been a cancelled lifelong dream that proved it was all behind me. Young people can change the world. They shouldn’t have to shelve their dreams for something as basic as healthcare.

Three different experiences have shaped my interest in travel. First of all, my grandmother took me on a lifechanging trip when I was 11 that included Yosemite National Park. During graduate studies, I was fortunate to live in the beautiful city of Prague for my Fulbright year. More recently, Lisa convinced me to visit the Galapagos Islands and Peru. The world is an amazing place, and we are trying to see how much of it we can see!

I remember saving for my first camera when I was in high school. The photography bug really bit again a few years ago as we prepared to go to the Galapagos. While digital is great, I have really enjoyed working with film over the last few years.

I met Lisa when I moved to Tennessee. She is the love of my life and my best friend. Lisa is a terrific flutist and we get to work together often on musical projects. We were married in 2012 and have been busy seeing how much of the world we can explore ever since!

My father had my first golf club cut off for me when I was very young. I played competitively through high school and even qualified for the Vermont Amateur once during college. It has become a big part of travel for us since Lisa learned to play.

Food and wine have also played a big role in our home and our travel. We’ve had a chance to visit many of the great wine regions of the world and even added a cellar to our house to hold the bounty. I love cooking Italian and my Big Green Egg!