My Music Background
I received a bachelor's degree in Music Composition and in Violin Performance from Macalester College in 2000, and have spent my post-undergraduate years gaining further experience with performance and teaching on the violin, as well as continuing to compose and explore a variety of compositional techniques. In Minnesota, I was the concertmaster of the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra from 2001 – 2004 and returned to that position in 2007. The Minnesota Philharmonic is a community orchestra founded by and for GLBT individuals. This diverse group includes members from all paths. I also taught violin and viola at the Walker-West Music Academy, a school dedicated to educating minority and disadvantaged families in music.
In the composition realm, I was a member of the Composer's Syndicate, a group of composers, principally in Saint Paul, MN, who gathered together once every two weeks to listen to and discuss each other's current work until the dissolution of the group in late 2004. The group published a CD containing samples of member's works which is freely available online or which can be purchased for $10.00 from any member of the group. In 2001, the group gathered together to put together a concert of new music at the Saint Paul Landmark Center which was met with excellent approval.
