When was your first encounter with music?
My first encounter with music was listening to country music on radio in the car with my mom. While it’s not my favorite genre, it has definitely grown on me over the years.
When/How did you start playing your instrument?
I started on trumpet when I was eleven, but when I entered high school a friend of mine convinced me to play mellophone in the marching band. Then, at 16 years, I decided to start studying the French horn when all the current horn players graduated. It’s funny to think that if it wasn’t for the mellophone, I wouldn’t have even considered playing French horn.
When did you decide to make music your career?
It was the summer before my senior year when I attended the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Before that I had only taken lessons and played in the high school wind ensemble, and this was a chance to experience what the music world be like. I just fell in love with the people and the environment, and I decided I wanted to pursue this further.
What is your favorite memory of a performance?
That’s a difficult question because I have had many memorable performances. I think it would be a recent performance of Beethoven 3 with the Peabody Chamber Orchestra under Marin Aslop. Not only was it great to play under such an incredible conductor, but the horn section had a really great vibe throughout the rehearsals and performance. It was loads of fun!
What do you like to do outside of music?
When I have time, I like to spend time outdoors going hiking and such. Since it’s hard to make it out of the city, I enjoy cooking myself a nice meal and watching Netflix to close out a busy day.