Teacher Conductor Coach
My aim is to teach musicians to perform with confidence and enjoyment. During my student days I was the beneficiary of excellent school music programs, outstanding teachers and mentors and youth orchestras. I sharing my experience by nurturing and encouraging young musicians at all levels of accomplishment. I have enjoyed working on the faculties of Third Street Music School, Trinity School and with roles as string teacher, conductor, chamber music coach, and private instructor for both violin and viola. I have recently spent time as a teaching artist at a NYC public school in a new program. Summers at the Meadowmount School of Music have been spent guiding and coaching chamber music groups and have proved to be intensive work in an idyllic setting. I am excited to serve as conductor of the Carnegie Hill Orchestra of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York, fortunate to work with accomplished, dedicated students. ISO produces performances in Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall, museums and school assemblies to much acclaim. My work with adults, in addition to adult violin and viola students includes work at Baruch College of the City University of New York with a string ensemble and I have coached adults in chamber music groups in other settings.
Composer and Performer:
I view orchestral music as an expanded form of chamber music, with particular stress on the dialogue of musical voices. In addition to the social and developmental aspects of ensemble playing, performing in large groups can be fulfilling to musicians through social interaction and through being a part of the ensemble's sound and musical textures.
I am energized by composing and arranging music for small ensembles and orchestras. In styles as far-ranging as early music, Pop and folk music, extending to twelve-tone compositions, I am pleased to have had music performed by student groups and professional players. Some of my compositions for children have been created for specific groups - project-driven works are exciting to me. My works have been used in educational settings and have even been in broadcasts on NBC and PBS. My recent composition for solo violin, A Piece of Pi, has been performed in recitals, Pi-day celebrations and mathematical festivals. Published for solo violin and also viola, sheet music is available through Ovation Press (CLICK HERE FOR THE MUSIC).
In other styles, I have written string parts for the indie band "The Baskervilles," and performed on their CD: "Twilight 14" (iTunes and other distributors). I have also performed in Americana music as a fiddle player and occasional singer in The New Lost Faculty Ramblers (CD "Lost and Found" available on request).
Background:
I began musical study on piano while in elementary school. Interested also in violin, my early training on violin in Houston was with Mika Hasler and university study was with Fredell Lack. My conducting teacher was Igor Buketoff. I have played professionally in the Laredo Symphony, Lake Charles Symphony and the Alexandria Symphony along with extensive free-lance work. I moved to New York to begin graduate studies with Sally Thomas, completing my study at Mannes College of Music with two graduate degrees.
My early experience with youth orchestras was as a college student: section coach for the Houston Youth Symphony. I later had the privilege of coaching groups in the Vermont Youth Orchestra, under the leadership of the legendary Troy Peters. I have also worked with the dynamic educator and conductor Jeff Grogan, whom I consider important to me as a mentor and colleague during his time as Music Director of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York.
My chamber music coaches have included Felix Galimir, Hans Jørgen Jensen, and Paul Doktor, among others, and I have performed in master classes with Josef Gingold and Julius Levine. In 2008, I was awarded a fellowship with trips to Berlin, Vienna and Prague to meet with violin makers (Jan Spidlen, Miroslav Komár, Tomáš Pilař, Pavel Hušek, and Petr Zdražil) and for research on acoustic properties of the violin. I was fortunate to have access to the Staatliches Institut for Musikforschung, in Berlin, which houses an excellent musical instrument museum and research facility.
Composer and Performer:
I view orchestral music as an expanded form of chamber music, with particular stress on the dialogue of musical voices. In addition to the social and developmental aspects of ensemble playing, performing in large groups can be fulfilling to musicians through social interaction and through being a part of the ensemble's sound and musical textures.
I am energized by composing and arranging music for small ensembles and orchestras. In styles as far-ranging as early music, Pop and folk music, extending to twelve-tone compositions, I am pleased to have had music performed by student groups and professional players. Some of my compositions for children have been created for specific groups - project-driven works are exciting to me. My works have been used in educational settings and have even been in broadcasts on NBC and PBS. My recent composition for solo violin, A Piece of Pi, has been performed in recitals, Pi-day celebrations and mathematical festivals. Published for solo violin and also viola, sheet music is available through Ovation Press (CLICK HERE FOR THE MUSIC).
In other styles, I have written string parts for the indie band "The Baskervilles," and performed on their CD: "Twilight 14" (iTunes and other distributors). I have also performed in Americana music as a fiddle player and occasional singer in The New Lost Faculty Ramblers (CD "Lost and Found" available on request).
Background:
I began musical study on piano while in elementary school. Interested also in violin, my early training on violin in Houston was with Mika Hasler and university study was with Fredell Lack. My conducting teacher was Igor Buketoff. I have played professionally in the Laredo Symphony, Lake Charles Symphony and the Alexandria Symphony along with extensive free-lance work. I moved to New York to begin graduate studies with Sally Thomas, completing my study at Mannes College of Music with two graduate degrees.
My early experience with youth orchestras was as a college student: section coach for the Houston Youth Symphony. I later had the privilege of coaching groups in the Vermont Youth Orchestra, under the leadership of the legendary Troy Peters. I have also worked with the dynamic educator and conductor Jeff Grogan, whom I consider important to me as a mentor and colleague during his time as Music Director of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York.
My chamber music coaches have included Felix Galimir, Hans Jørgen Jensen, and Paul Doktor, among others, and I have performed in master classes with Josef Gingold and Julius Levine. In 2008, I was awarded a fellowship with trips to Berlin, Vienna and Prague to meet with violin makers (Jan Spidlen, Miroslav Komár, Tomáš Pilař, Pavel Hušek, and Petr Zdražil) and for research on acoustic properties of the violin. I was fortunate to have access to the Staatliches Institut for Musikforschung, in Berlin, which houses an excellent musical instrument museum and research facility.
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Conducting: The early years!
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