I consider myself lucky to have grown up in a family that often pulled out guitars, gathered around the piano, and sang and played music together. Early on, I was drawn to the piano. I started playing by ear around the age of 4, but it was not until the age of 8 (late by most standards) that I began formal lessons. At age 17, I began teaching piano.

While working for a program with inner-city youth in Nashville, Tennessee, I found that sharing music in an educational environment was more rewarding than I could have imagined. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano and German, and it was during this time I realized an impulse to follow musical intuition to its path to the intellect. My subsequent graduate work involved both Piano and Musicology, and from that point since, I have been dedicated to grounding my scholarship and my teaching in a combination of a deep understanding of musical principals with a passion for the Art of Music.

My scholarly work has led me to study in Italy and France, and also to teach at several universities and conservatories. In addition, I have judged a number of competitions. These experiences inform my teaching philosophy. As a musicologist, I want to remember that just as music is not limited to one genre, teaching is not limited to one technique. As a teacher, my hope is to approach each lesson with joy and intention. Each student is wonderfully unique with specific strengths and aspirations, and above all, each has enormous potential for lifelong dedication to making music.

  • BM, Piano and German, Carson-Newman/Vanderbilt University
  • MM, Piano and Musicology, Rice University
  • Ph.D., Musicology, Brandeis University

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