I began taking piano lessons at the ripe old age of 9. Like every young boy at the time, I was more interested in playing video games, watching cartoons, and playing with friends. However, by the time I was 12, I started to fall in love with piano playing, and decided to expand my horizons a little bit by starting to learn trumpet and play in the wind band at the private school I was attending. I took that new skill into high school, participating in one of my favorite activities--the marching band (even becoming student president by senior year).
My freshman year I begrudgingly agreed with my father to give violin a try through private lessons at the local community college. I'm glad I did, because eventually I developed a passion for yet another instrument! It was also during this time that I started to accompany the high school choir and soloists in Solo & Ensemble events, as well as playing for weddings. These branch-out opportunities truly helped me to become a diversified musician!
During my high school years, the two most influential people in my life were Mrs. Shellhammer, my private piano teacher, and Mr. McKenzie, my high school band director. Because of these two great educators, I decided that I wanted to study music in college (after a year of trying architecture---which I hated!). After 4 years of studying under great music professors, including Dr. Steven Glaser, I graduated from OSU in spring of 2012, and decided that I wanted to start my professional music career by teaching private lessons.
I have found in the 7 years since then that I can affect more change in a student's musical life than a choir/band/orchestra teacher can in a public school setting (no offense to any of my colleagues out there!) I have found many different ways that motivate a student to practice and succeed, and other things that don't work so well. And I have discovered that I have not stopped learning---I learn alongside my students every day!
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