Personal Statement

Emphasizing ear training and technique, I provide a highly intensive and practical approach to music. The goal is for you to become a versatile musician capable of playing many genres of music in a professional setting. An amalgam of practical history and music theory relevant to your instrument will provide a solid foundation. Along the arduous journey, I encourage improvisation as a means to the discovery of your own personal sound, eschewing the many cliche licks which plague contemporary music. Homework assignments include etudes, scales beyond the major and minor kinds, listening exercises/transcriptions, etc. We will use our ears and our fingers a lot more than our eyes, as we tackle jazz standards and play-alongs...all while listening to our favorite musicians and learning from them.

Education / Training

SCHOOLS:
-James Hubert Blake High School (Silver Spring, MD)
-The University of Chicago (BA; Biology)

TEACHING:
-Private instruction; beginning jazz improvisation (5 years)
-Teaching assistant @ UChicago; Jazz Improvisation (1 year)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
-10 year pro experience; jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical
-Featured in 7 recording projects as side man
-Soloist with El Salvador's National Symphony and The University of Chicago Jazz X-tet
-Leader of own project, "Markov Jazz Process"
-Currently a gigging/touring musician in the metro DC area