I am a music educator and performer with a deep commitment to teaching, collaboration, and artistic excellence across a wide range of musical styles. My work spans classical, jazz, pop/rock, Latin, and contemporary music, with a career rooted equally in performance and education. In recognition of my contributions to guitar pedagogy and community engagement, I was honored with the 2026 Minnesota Guitar Society Guitar Educator of the Year Award. I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Guitar Performance at the University of Minnesota, where I study under Maja Radovanlija and remain actively engaged as a performer in university concerts, chamber collaborations, and community outreach initiatives. I previously earned degrees from Northern Arizona University and Idaho State University.

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As a performer, I have appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, ensemble member, and orchestral guitarist throughout the Midwest and beyond. Notable appearances include performances at Concordia College, the University of Kansas, Oklahoma City University, McPherson College, Northern Arizona University, Idaho State University, and the University of Minnesota. Recent highlights include participation in the Celedonio Romero Institute, a featured performance and educational role at the Midwest Guitar Symposium, and collaborative concerts such as Voz y Guitarra, presenting Spanish and Latin American repertoire for voice and guitar. My orchestral work includes performances with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra and Idaho State Civic Symphony, including works such as Concierto Andaluz, Guitar Concerto No. 1, and Rhapsody in Blue, as well as numerous original guitar ensemble arrangements created for symphonic settings.

 

I am also an active musician in jazz and commercial settings, and I maintain extensive experience in musical theater, having performed in productions such as Big Fish, Cats, Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde, Rock of Ages, and Hairspray across Minnesota, North Dakota, Arizona, and Idaho.

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As an educator, I have over a decade of experience teaching at the university and private studio levels. I served as Guitar Instructor and Lecturer at Idaho State University, where I taught applied lessons, group guitar courses, aural skills, and general music classes, and conducted regional outreach to high school programs. At Northern Arizona University, I directed the Guitar Ensemble, designed curriculum, coached chamber groups, and programmed full concerts. I currently teach at the Minnesota School of Music, where I work with students of diverse ages, backgrounds, and musical interests.

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In addition, I have maintained a large private studio in Idaho and Minnesota and previously taught at the 4/4 School of Music in Seattle, working with students across instruments, genres, and learning styles. My teaching philosophy emphasizes technical fluency, musical curiosity, collaboration, and long-term artistic growth. Whether on stage or in the classroom, I strive to create inclusive, engaging environments that help students and audiences connect deeply with music as both a discipline and a shared human experience.