1. How long have you been teaching at Metro Music Makers, and what do you teach?
“I have been teaching for about two and a half years at Metro Music Makers, and I teach piano and violin.”
2. What is your first musical memory?
“Conducting Beethoven’s 9th symphony with a chopstick! I think I was four.”
3. What was the first album you bought?
“It was a tape! Now you can tell how old I am. It was Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” string quartet and another piece that I cannot remember. Of course I still listen to it, but not from the tape.”
4. Who are you listening to right now?
“It’s a very hard question. But the last album that I purchased was Kronos Quartet album entitled “Placeless.” It’s a magical collection of music around the world with a new approach of arrangement for string quartet.”
5. Why do you love teaching?
“First of all, I love people! Teaching gives me an opportunity to meet weekly a lot of amazing people. I also love sharing what I love and what I am passionate about.”
6. Who inspires you as a musician?
“There are a lot of amazing composers and performers that have influenced me a lot, but recently I am inspired by UGA band director, Dr. Cynthia J. Turner. Her approach to introducing music to the community is amazing. She is performing with her wind ensemble in two prisons this week.”
7. What musical accomplishment are you most proud of?
“I received the 2019 Leslie Bassett Graduate Fellowship Award to attend the Alba music festival in Italy last summer. Also, one of my piano pieces is commercially recorded by amazing pianist, Liza Stepanova, and is coming out this spring by PARMA Recordings.”
8. Tell me about one of your best moments as a teacher.
“There are a lot of amazing moments, but hearing my students at recitals is amazing.”
9. What’s the latest in your own music world?
“My saxophone concerto in four movements will be premiered in November, and my duo is booked for a three-week tour in Europe next summer.”
10. What’s the latest in your world outside of music?
“I got a puppy last summer. His name is Mocha, and he is a seven-month-old cockapoo. All my students know him well because I talk about him a lot!”