About
Shortly after graduating from the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) at Musicians Institute in 1991, I was able to make a living as a musician, giving guitar lessons during the day, and playing gigs with various bands at night. After a few years of this, I got a little tired of the gigs, but I never got tired of the teaching. I came to realize that music was much more meaningful when used for personal growth and self-mastery, and I valued the relationships I formed with my students as they learned this awesome instrument. Playing gigs in bars did not bring me the same fulfillment or sense of purpose that teaching guitar lessons did. I taught at Fat Sound Guitars in Cary NC, Music Go Round in Cary NC, and a private studio in Raleigh NC and Cambridge, MA.
I was lucky to stumble across Music Therapy when searching for a way to combine music and personal development, and I quickly decided to pursue a career in Music Therapy. I attended and graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2005, summa cum laude, with a music therapy diploma, and started working as a Music Therapist in hospitals and prisons which I still do today as a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
I am an accomplished musician who has toured throughout the southeast USA and independently released 4 albums over the last 25 years with Dry White Toast from 1996-2001 (southern funk 'n soul) and Logical Sound Discovery from 1998-2016 (electronic dance music with live musicians), and The Back Taps from 2017-2020 (cover band). I have also played in weddings and memorial services.
I know from experience that students learn better when lessons are structured around the music they enjoy and aspire to play. Yes, I make it a priority for learning to be both fun and structured! With a passion for teaching and an unwavering commitment to my students' progress, I am known for being patient, understanding, compassionate, and approachable.
I teach rhythm playing, music theory, chords and harmony, scales and modes, and improvisation. The style of music focused on will be student’s choice, I have experience teaching rock, pop, funk, folk, country, and jazz.
MT-BC Board-Certified Music Therapist since 2005.
I focus on the students interests and what they want to learn and get better at. I will provide TABS, chord charts, diagrams, etc via PDF's. I will also help students with any resources they already have, if clarification or expansion on the materials is requested. I will also provide a practice plan at the end of each session to help students prioritize and manage their practice time for optimal results.