25 years teaching K-4 General and 5-6 Band in a Public School 30 years teaching Improvisation in Private, Group, Class, and Jazz Band settings at the High School and Collegiate Levels 32 years performing as a Professional Jazz Musician, often in National Acts 34 years as an Award-Winning Composer and Arranger Has written multiple, highly effective curricula at every level, based on decades of experience with real students' needs, failures, and triumphs.
Fast, Fun, Friendly...but Rigorous, Relevant, and Realistic
Teaching: 2017 Grammy Nominee for Music Education 2014 Grammy Nominee for Music Education 2008 Teacher of the Year Presented at or Directed for many PMEA Band/Jazz Band Festivals and Conventions over the past 20 years ____________________________________________________ Composing: An Afternoon With The Kiddo: Performed by the 2012 NFA Professional Flute Choir Niño del Sol: winner of the 2014 NFA International Flute Choir Composition Contest Coffeelation: written for the 2015 NFA National High School Flute Choir Lionheart: 2017 NFA Newly Published Music Finalist The Continuing Adventures Of Dexter the Danger Donkey: 2018 Newly Published Music Winner The Terrible Tubes Take Over the Town: written for the 2018 NFA record-setting Largest Low Flute Choir (ever) Concert Turtle and Rabbit: written for the 2019 NFA High School Flute Choir ...and has had many more compositions/arrangements commissioned and premiered at NFA (and other professional music education organizations') conventions. ___________________________________________________ Recording: Composed, Performed, Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered the musical soundtrack to the PBS special "Struggles in Steel" Performed, Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered the soundtrack to the "I Just Love Vocelli" commercial spot
1996 Summa Cum Laude BS Music Education Duquesne University 1996 Summa Cum Laude BM Recording Arts and Sciences Duquesne University 2003 Summa Cum Laude MM Jazz Tenor Saxophone Duquesne University Some Post-Grad work in Music Education at Boston University
...you don't teach by what you say...you teach by who you are...
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Higher Education, Adult Education, Homeschool, Staff