My Journey
Memorable Performances
Wedding Ceremonies and Cocktail Hours,... too many to count but each has been a privilege. I feel it is important to deliver music selections that listeners want to hear. I love executing a couple's vision of their special day.
Sing-a-longs and celebrations... live music creates a rich and memorable experience for all and its a joy to navigate the music selections to match the mood of the moment.
Lounge/Dinner pianist, Playing everything from classical, American songbook to contemporary. Have played at countless venues in Southern New England including the Aldrich Chapel and Mansion House, Guerneys, La Forge Casino at the Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport Mansions, Linden Place, Blithewold, Glen Manor House, Vanderbilt Grace, The George and more.
Education
Bachelor of Music in Education
Bachelor of Music in Classical Piano Performance
Master of Music in Classical Piano Performance
I have my mother to thank.....
As a toddler, I remember my mother playing what I later learned was called "arpeggios" up and down the keyboard, and thinking, "Someday I'm going to be able to do that,too!" Many piano lessons and recitals later.....music became the focus of my life.
At age 10 I met Mrs. Patricia Abrain who taught not only classical but ear training, singing and chord improvisation. Improv was exciting and quite a good match for my playing style. It was so freeing to learn to play the piano without having to have music in front of me. From age 10 – 16, I learned to make the piano talk from within and created original interpretations of songs already written. What freedom!
Dr. Rankin at URI was the final touch to the creation of my own playing style. He was my classical piano teacher 1984 through 1991. During this time I learned that there are many ways to touch the piano keys and obtain different sounds. His expertise in this area has been so valuable to me. My ears were trained to hear some notes louder than others, slight changes in pedaling, stretching and “Breathing” the rhythm and an enormous range of dynamic shading from very quiet to very loud and all of the degrees in between. I found that after learning from Dr. Rankin, I enjoyed playing more than ever as I now had the tools to create the exact sound I was imagining to produce on the piano.
PIANO/ VOICE STUDENTS
It is truly rewarding to be able to share what I have learned from other instructors and my own experience with others. Each student learns in their own unique way and it is an exciting challenge to use my intuition and experience to be able to break down concepts to the students' level of understanding and ability. The goal for me as a teacher is that the student would always feel that with practice, they can undoubtedly be successful at progressing with the assignment. During recitals, students share, as a group with the community, their own unique style of playing and genre (classical, musicals, jazz standards, movie themes) of music. This makes for a wonderful variety of selections and lends itself to a diverse and entertaining program.
CHORUS DIRECTING
St. Michael's Country Day School Chorus in Newport, RI
Edward King House Singers at the Newport Senior Center
Blenheim Chorus in Middletown, RI.
ALWAYS HERE - Original Music
When it comes to writing music I am always amazed when a song comes through. Here is a collection of original music inspired by song circles and the heart....
https://soundcloud.com/user-330241395/sets/always-here