I am not a native Texan, but after 12 years of living in Dallas, I'm proud to call it my home. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and as a young student I took up the study of the cello and immediately became enchanted with playing in an orchestra. In addition to my interest in music, I also swam competitively from elementary school through college, so I have considerable experience with juggling multiple time-consuming interests. Before I left Ohio, I graduated from University School in Hunting Valley, participated in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Contemporary Youth Orchestras, and attended Oberlin College and Conservatory, where I studied Music Performance and Psychology. Upon moving to Dallas, I enrolled at Southern Methodist University where I received Master's degrees in Cello Performance and Music Education. Why do I teach? Collaborative music-making brings me joy, and I believe that the feeling of working together in an ensemble is an experience that is impossible to duplicate in any other discipline. Orchestra is not about playing notes on a page, but about expressing feelings and emotions through an instrument whose voice is one's own. I feel like it is my duty to help students find their instrumental voices and to get them to hone their skills and explore the ever-expanding world of music. Studies have shown that musical literacy confers lifelong benefits on the developing brain, enhancing reading and other cognitive skills, all while engaging our students and fostering habits of cooperation. When I'm not teaching, I'm either performing at a wedding with my string quartet, playing rock music in my two bands, cooking a new recipe, or hanging out with my three cats, Pepper, Perry, and Pippers, as well as my pit bull, Daisy!
