I was born and raised in Massachusetts, where I showed an interest in music from a young age. I’ve been playing the guitar and singing from the age of 8, and playing the piano since age 11. I have also taught myself some  Bass Guitar and Drums. In High School I was involved in choir, theatre, and performing outside of school as well. Upon graduation I moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, where I trained in Voice and studied Contemporary Writing and Production. I spent two years as a private instructor, teaching multiple instruments in the Boston area, and I am now at Temple University studying Music Technology. I spend my free time either making beats in Ableton, improvising on the piano, cooking, or gaming.

When did you begin playing Piano, and why?

I began playing piano at age 12, because I was already playing guitar and singing, and I wanted to learn how to play some of my favorite songs at the time on the piano, so I started teaching myself pop songs like “Halo” (Beyonce) and “Just The Way You Are” (Bruno Mars) using Youtube videos. I would later learn more complex Jazz, Classical, and Ragtime pieces, and start improvising and composing my own music.

What other instruments do you play, and what is your experience with them?

I have played Guitar since the age of 8, and I have been singing my whole life, though I started formally training at the age of 14. I have performed mostly on those three instruments, though I also play Bass Guitar, Drums, and Percussion. I also write and produce music on Ableton.

What are your personal goals as a musician?

My goals as a musician are to write at least one LP that I am proud of, produce for other artists, and compose scores for Film/TV/Video Games.

Do you have a memory of a time when a musical concept or technique really clicked?  Something you’ll remember forever?

When I first learned how to play scales, it opened up a new world of possibilities for me because I was able to improvise and write my own music, instead of playing music that was already written. I used to sit down and play through playlists of my favorite songs and improvise my own solos/background lines over them, and it gave me a new understanding of how to write and listen to music.

What is your favorite piece of advice from one of your past (or current) teachers?

The best piece of advice I got from a teacher was to be mindful of my stress levels, and to take a short break if practice is causing stress. Your body is a part of your instrument, no matter what you play, and if you have too much tension, you will not be able to play as well.

What was your most challenging moment learning an instrument

My biggest challenge was learning to coordinate my left and right hands on the piano. Because I started out playing pop music, my left hand was not as coordinated as my right, and when I tried to learn complex left hand lines, I would always lose my timing. I had to learn to slow down, break the music into digestible pieces, and visualize where my hands were going, but eventually I got it.

What is your biggest musical achievement?

My biggest musical achievement so far is scoring and conducting background music for a live straight play called “Tontlawald.” It was a collaborative effort with a few of my friends, and we came up with textures, sounds, and melodies to go together with the many moving parts of the play. We had to constantly communicate with the directors to make changes based on the pacing of the play and cuts to the script, but the end result was something we were all very proud of.

Favorite thing about teaching?

My favorite thing about teaching is seeing my students improving and getting excited about what they are playing.

What is a piece of advice you would like to share with anyone learning music?

No one is born with more talent than anyone else. Everyone is capable of learning a new skill at any time. Instead of thinking “I can’t play this,” think “I can’t play this yet” and understand that progress happens slowly, not overnight.