I believe in a strong future for traditional worship and liturgy, including the outstanding choral and organ repertoire of current and past generations. Traditional worship can and should be vibrant, engaging, and innovative. Both God and the Christian deserve a worship experience that draws them together. My philosophy is that if you want people to be excited about coming to church, then don’t be boring!
Through eighteen years of professional church music experience—in churches large and small—my absolute favorite part of the job has been lifting barriers for amateur musicians. Now, I am reaching out into the world of church music to help other leaders do the same. One of the best things we can do to ensure the future of traditional worship, music, and liturgy is to make sure we actively include volunteers of all skill levels. There is truly no replacement for lifting our voices and our instruments in song.
My formal education in music culminated at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where I completed the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Organ Performance and Literature. I am privileged to have studied organ with David Higgs, Michel Bouvard, and Edoardo Bellotti, in addition to a curriculum in keyboard technique, improvisation, and harpsichord. In 2014, I received the Jim Cochran Recital Award, in recognition of my second DMA degree recital. I also belonged to several bowling leagues in Rochester (not as a degree requirement).
When I am not writing, networking, or playing at church, I also work as a freelance organist, pianist, accompanist, and piano technician. You can find some of my past performances on YouTube, that venerable source of all things great.
Ready to work with me?