Musical Beginnings

I have a clear memory of my father taking me to pick out my first saxophone. We visited a local musician who had a small workshop in his home. I remember trying a few instruments, learning how to assemble and care for them, and playing my first notes on a Yamaha YAS-21.

That instrument stayed with me through my development as a player, my first concerts, first solos, first state-wide festivals. Over time, what began as a school activity led to performing alongside my father in a professional jazz band as a high school student. That setting surrounded me with role models who encouraged me to never stop playing.

The Crane School of Music

This path led me to the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York, where I studied saxophone with Timothy McAllister and jazz with Bret Zvacek. Beyond technique and performance, these years taught me the value of discipline, efficient practice, and lifelong learning. Perhaps most importantly, they instilled an appreciation for musical versatility, a lesson that would shape the rest of my career.

From School Musicals to Broadway

After college, I built a career as a woodwind doubler, performing first for local high school productions, on to regional theaters across the country, and eventually on national and international tours. Along the way, I met my wife, who shared the same passion for performance and adventure.

Together we spent years traveling, performing, and building a life around theater. Our work eventually brought us to New York City, where I continued performing, began studying instrument repair, and focused on performing as a substitute musician on Broadway productions.

One of the most memorable chapters of our career was touring together with Disney’s Frozen, a production that became home for several years and took us throughout North America.

Home in Iowa

After years of life on the road, my wife and I were ready for something more grounding. We chose to put down roots in Mount Vernon, where she grew up, and build a life centered around community, family, and music.

Today, I divide my time between teaching, performing, and operating Mount Vernon Repair Shop. Whether I’m helping a student prepare for their first concert, maintaining a school instrument, performing in the pit of a theater production, or repairing a longtime favorite horn, I bring the same curiosity and dedication that first drew me to music many years ago.

I’m grateful to call Iowa home, and even more grateful that music continues to connect me with so many wonderful students, families, educators, and fellow musicians.