I often find that musician’s biographies are a bit stiff and formal, or stuffed full of accolades and accomplishments, without telling you much about the person! I think I’ve covered the important stuff here but I hope you will get to know me a little too.

I am a violinist and violist currently living in San Jose, CA. My Bachelor of Music degree in string performance is from University of the Pacific, a hidden gem of a school in Stockton, CA. There I studied viola with Igor Veligan, and chamber music with Dr. Patricia Shands, Nina Flyer, and others. My time in the university orchestra included 2 years in the 1st violin section, which confirmed my opinion that the best place to be in an orchestra is in the viola section (surround sound! Doesn’t get better than that!)

In addition to teaching over 40 violin and viola students weekly in the south and east bay areas, I have performed regularly in the the SF Bay Area and around Northern California. The groups I’ve played with include the Merced Symphony, InConcert Sierra, the Apollo Orchestra, Camerata Capistrano, and others. I also frequently perform in other music settings such as weddings and religious services, and I perform in different music styles including Traditional Irish music and Jazz!

I have been teaching violin and viola since 2006. I focus on not only teaching the skills of the instrument, but also teaching the whole person –  I challenge each of my students not just to become skilled violinists or violists, but to build character and life skills through the study of music. I have a friendly, engaging teaching style and I always work to find the best way to teach each student depending on their strengths and weaknesses and different learning styles. Learning and playing music is a great joy, and one of the best ways to experience that joy for a musician to play the music they like the most with other people, which I highly encourage students to do in whatever way possible!

My story with the violin and viola is not unusual, except for the fact that I was almost 11 years old when I started. Many people begin playing the violin around age 5-8: 11 is often thought to be a “late” start! However, I know many highly successful musicians and string players who began their studies even as teenagers.
My first teacher taught using the Suzuki method, and after a few years of quick progression through the levels, I also began my adventures into Traditional Irish music and playing the Viola. I soon embraced my newfound place in the viola section of the Sierra College Community Orchestra. I traded off between violin and viola studies while attending community college full time and working part time. I had some hesitation about jumping into a music career, and in the meantime discovered a previously unknown mathematical ability and went on to spend the next 8 or so years tutoring math. After making the decision to go hard or go home, I finished my music performance degree at University of the Pacific. During my first semester there I knew I had made the right choice.

A performance degree is music is highly demanding and takes a lot of time and energy - definitely more than many other degrees. People often say “oh that must be so great to be doing what you love.” But becoming a successful performer and teacher is difficult - I would turn the phrase around because it’s something you can only succeed at if you really love it!

And now for something completely different, a few fun facts about me:

-When I was a kid, my hair was completely straight!
-My family always had cats or a dog, but my pets were bantam chickens
-At one time I could identify over 100 species of birds by sound alone!
-My “Shelter in Place” hobby was to get a bunch of houseplants! My favorites are Maidenhair fern, Purple Heart and some of my succulents. One of my plants is a cutting from a spider plant that someone gave me when I was 9. My tallest plant is a ginger that decided to grow itself after I waited too long to use the root for cooking. Right now it’s a little over 2 feet!