My Background

I grew up in Monaca, PA a small town near Pittsburgh, PA on the Ohio River. My Dad played the accordian, guitar, and harmonica, all by ear. By the age of five, I was ready to play too. I started on ukelele and moved to guitar around eight. I began writing songs when I was twelve, performing with several groups in my teenage years on guitar, keyboard, and bass. In school, I played percussion in marching band, flute and oboe in concert band.

I studied electronic composition as well as classical guitar performance in college at the Dana School of Music, Youngstown State University where I graduated with a BM in guitar performance in 1985. A teaching assistantship and a MM degree in music theory/composition were completed in 1987.

I began doctoral study at the University of Pittsburgh, with a fellowship in teaching electronic music. I was given a rare opportunity to work with several historically important (and suddently very popular again!) analog synths, including the ARP 2000, Moog, and a Buchla that was given to the University by Morton Subotnik himself. While at Pitt, I studied composition with Dr. Joseph Dubiel, a Princeton graduate and student of Milton Babbit.

I continued doctoral study at Kent State University, where I assisted in recital recording and taught music theory. While there, I earned an outstanding graduate student teaching award and completed a Ph.D. in music theory and composition, studying with noted composer Dr. James Waters. I also minored in ethnomusicology. My dissertation includes a composition for chamber ensemble, based on the Wallace Stevens poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” and a theory study entitled, “Aural Skills Pedagogy in American Music Theory Texts, 1900-1930.”

I am currently an Associate Professor of Music at Maryville College. I contribute to the department through teaching music theory, aural skills, composition and guitar lessons, as well as general education courses.

Recent compositions include works for solo instruments, string quartet, and synthesizer (not all at the same time). My compositional focus currently is on writing for solo guitar.