I have over 20 years teaching experience, covering all genres of music, and implementing numerous techniques and concepts, to personalize each student's learning experience. I have been performing on the drums for over 30 years. I combine my teaching & performing experiences to continually improve the lesson experience. It is ever-evolving, as I also continue to learn. There's no ceiling when it comes to gaining knowledge!
I received my formal training in orchestral, marching, and jazz percussion from James Madison University, graduating with a Bachelor’s in music in 2000, with a focus in music industry. My work since has been primarily focused on the drum kit, by way of performing, recording, & teaching up and down the east coast, and across the country, including a tour in Hawaii. In 2006, music led me to Richmond, where I presently continue to work extensively on my craft. You can find me performing with a variety of projects in and around the Richmond area, covering many genres that include jazz, rock, folk, bluegrass, kids’ music, country, funk, blues, hip hop, and others. I also work with local organizations in pursuing an objective to facilitate interactive rhythm experiences that integrate music education and expressive arts with communication, motivation, and community building. This also is used as a tool for assessment, treatment and evaluation of health and wellness outcomes in diverse populations where music therapy is applied.
My areas of mentoring include not only drum kit development, but also classical & rudimental snare drum & percussion, beginner mallet percussion, music theory, sight reading, improvisation, and hand & auxiliary percussion.
I take great pride in helping a student find his or her passion through music. I try to get to know each one of my students, in an effort to gauge his/her musical interests. Although I stress the importance of practicing the fundamentals, I look for a way to tie in the student’s musical tastes to the learning process. I believe this keeps it interesting when finding the time and motivation for practice.
