I grew up in Houston, TX, where I began piano lessons at the age of 7 and began accompanying school choirs in 7th grade. In high school I accompanied my friends at music festivals and got my first organist job at the age of 15, shortly after beginning lessons. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Organ Performance summa cum laude from St. Thomas University (1992; Houston, TX), a Master of Music degree in Organ Performance and Church Music from Indiana University (2006; Bloomington, IN), and Fellow certification from the American Guild of Organists (2011). Over the course of my 30-year career I have served churches in Texas, Florida, Indiana, and Montana as an organist/pianist, choir director, handbell choir director, and composer/arranger, and I have been a clinician & accompanist at the Mo-Ranch Worship & Music Conference (Hunt, TX) and at the Montreat Worship & Music Conference (Montreat, NC).
While in graduate school I accompanied the Bloomington Chamber Singers and the IU Children’s Choir as well as various choral ensembles. My studio began as a small part of my job at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, where as Director of Music Ministry I served as organist/pianist while overseeing a full program of vocal choirs, handbell choirs, and instrumental ensembles. After beginning, somewhat hesitantly, with one student in 2009, the number of students grew steadily every year until in 2016 I decided it was time to open a “real” studio. In September 2017 I left my church job in order to teach full-time at the studio and part-time at MSU-Billings, where I teach Piano Proficiency classes and accompany students. Teaching children is truly one of my passions, whether it is in private lessons or in choirs. I am honored to be part of their lives and grateful for all they teach me.
In my spare time, I enjoy being outside, watching non-professional baseball (Little League, high school, college, and minor leagues), doing handwork (cross-stitch, crochet, quilting), building with LEGO, and spending time with my service dog in-training Moxie. My “bucket list” includes traveling to northern Germany, riding a train in the Canadian Rockies, and seeing the Northern Lights in person.
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