Long before becoming a Dallas-Fw Violinist and organizing Stringbirds™ Violin Music, I began my studies in the public schools of Anchorage Alaska, near my place of birth-Fairbanks. Anchorage, Alaska has a strong orchestra program in the public schools-- just like Texas, but not quite as massive! After graduating from high school, I continued my violin performance studies at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and three years later, transferred to the University of North Texas, completing my bachelors degree in Music Theory and Composition May, 1999. And so, migrating from Southern Alaska to North Texas is how I came to be a Dallas-Fw Violinist.
I have straddled the fence in several ways --performing violin music within classical, contemporary, and ethnic realms -- and expanding my involvement in musical activities beyond music’s re-creation - or performance, into creation - music composition.
On the classical side, I performed many years in The Anchorage Symphony, Anchorage Opera, University of Alaska, Anchorage Sinfonia (serving one year as co-concertmaster), Camarata String Quartet, substituted with the Plano Symphony, and free-lanced in several other string quartets in the Dallas-Fw area.
On the contemporary and folk side, I’ve performed with several local bands. My experiences ranging from full-time work in a world music band, weekend-work with a country cover-tunes band, and occasional collaborations with a modern folk music artist.
The musicians I work with have advanced training - having graduated from local institutions such as the University of North Texas, and Southern Methodist University. Some hold performance degrees at the bachelor level, and others at the masters level. While others specialized in music education, minoring in performance through their bachelor and masters degrees. All this to say, they are a well-trained bunch of classical musicians and seriously terrific performers. I hope you will agree -- and that the music clips will prove my opinion to be factual!
(You may also wish to view our different Ensembles, Music Clips and our Play List. )