Present day…
After completing my Doctor of Musical Arts degree in May of 2023, I relocated to San Francisco, where I perform, teach, research, and mentor. To be honest, the move was a long time coming - it was essential to be in the place where my research is centered, but also where I felt centered. My work intersects with performance, musicology, and arts entrepreneurship. I present/curate lectures, performances, workshops, and community events. I love what I do.
I invite you to read my words below, or the formal bio, if that is of interest.
Circa 2005…
Giffords Elementary School (Staten Island, NY) implemented their inaugural band program, where I was excited to play clarinet (thank you, Squidward) as my primary instrument, but alas all the clarinet spots were taken by the time they reached “K” on the roster, so I was handed a saxophone. Albeit slightly discouraged, turns out I had a knack for the instrument, and it soon became an extension of my voice.
LaGuardia Days…
Fueled by Joe P. (grill master of the halal cart on the corner of 66th and Amsterdam), I commuted two hours (each way!) to LaGuardia High School, where I spent an unforgettable four years. Lasting friendships and memories were fostered by immersing myself in an environment overflowing with the arts, with people who embraced and celebrated otherness. Think “Breakfast Club”, but more diverse and more dancing on cafeteria tables.
The first in my family to attend college…
I always loved connecting with and learning about people. This, coupled with tales of burnout from my music mentors, led me to pursue psychology at the University of Hartford, but this was short-lived... Eager to revive my love for music, I reapplied for a few universities, underwent some successful (and some not so successful) auditions, and eventually decided to study Music Education and Saxophone Performance at Montclair State University. It was here where those 4am practice sessions (I know…) paid off. I did the things, won some awards, and spent early 2017 visiting parts of the United States I had never seen. I auditioned for master’s degree programs throughout the south and midwest, which eventually led me to the University of Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri...
In Kansas City…
My new norm consisted of tornadoes, great bbq (thank you, Q39), and brutal winters. I started to build on the connection between my own artistry and community engagement. Music existed, (and for me, thrived) outside of the concert hall, and the collaborative opportunities were endless. I developed a music series for a local church, and a workshop series at my alma mater, centered on musicians’ wellness. A new clarity emerged about my artistry, and I reimagined how I may build a career that embraces community, playing, and teaching. By the time this portion of my graduate studies was coming to a close, I decided on the institution where I would pursue my doctoral degree, but this position at the University of Texas at Austin would not be available until the following year.
Regardless, I decided to relocate to Austin in May 2020…
After contacting 102 (yes, I counted) potential sites to practice my saxophone, I received a message from Bonnie, the former pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church, who graciously provided a space. She was, is, and will remain, amazing. Spending Christmas 2020 with her and her family, sharing Indian takeout on her front lawn, is a memory I’ll always cherish. Each week at the church, I would meet with Stephen Page for saxophone lessons, each of us on opposite ends of the church. These memories, alongside ramen dates with Sarah Hetrick, remain the high points of that year. While “Zoom” became the nomenclature for anything and everything “meeting,” I longed for presence, connection, and less lag… for a few hours each week, I achieved this.
Obstacles…
I was accepted to study at UT Austin to pursue my Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a cognate in Cultural Arts Management. Things were looking great - like really great. I had an adjunct teaching position nearby, interning at a local nonprofit organization, all while gradually expanding my network. Then came the hurdles… The onset of focal dystonia (you can read all about it here) markedly affected my saxophone playing. I don’t know if I’d call the other a hurdle, so much as a full stop. Despite receiving “outstanding evaluations” from my students and a “glowing review'' from my employer, my ability to educate was questioned because my “initiatives in support of LGBTQ+ communities” did not align with their own values. Discriminatory? Yes. Legal? Also yes. I saved them the trouble and resigned from that position. My identity was being challenged both musically and personally. I didn’t have the words to articulate it but I knew my work would need to head in a direction that embraced, and held space, for the whole person.
Onward…
After much time, patience, and Body Mapping, I recovered from focal dystonia, while concurrently discovering how my work could transcend beyond the instrument:
Exploring how music interfaced with global social justice-driven movements and broader communities.
Leveraging my arts entrepreneurship and cultural management experience by way of teaching, mentoring, and collaborating.
My efforts were spent working with music students to leverage their entrepreneurial skills, as well as consulting with nonprofit organizations to develop strategic plans, inclusive artistic practices, and marketing strategies.
My experiences also began influencing my research, which investigates the role music plays within queer communities affected by the AIDS epidemic.
Interested in learning more? Reach out!