What year did you join the orchestra?
2018

How long have you been playing music?
I started playing the piano when I was four years old and began playing the clarinet when I was twelve years old.

How did you pick your instrument?
I desperately wanted to play the oboe, but my band director refused to tune two beginning oboes in his band. My mother had an old clarinet in the closet, so I settled on that.

Occupation? 
Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Nevada, Reno.

When you’re not playing with the Reno Phil, what would we most likely see you doing in your free time?
I would likely be taking care of my numerous houseplants, experimenting with my 3D printer, or playing video games with my friends.

What genre of music are you most excited to play?
I am very passionate about classical music, the Romantic era specifically. Anything by Brahms and I’ll be happy.

What is your favorite piece of all time to play, and why?
The Brahms Quintet for clarinet and string quartet. Brahms is the composer I hold dearest to my heart and this piece is one of the last that he wrote during his lifetime. It is filled with such longing and yet surrounded by the deep peace of a life well-lived.

If you could meet one composer/musician, who would it be and why?
Johannes Brahms because he lived such a unique and private life. He was known to burn his personal letters and any compositions he was unhappy with to protect his privacy and legacy. I would love to go with him on one of his frequent walks in the woods and learn more about the man behind such profound music.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Anywhere quiet with beautiful landscapes and no cell reception.

What do you think the audience would find surprising about you?
Probably the extent of my obsession with houseplants. For example, I currently have a pumpkin plant vining across my living room.

What about performing live music brings you joy?
There is something magical about the exchange of energy between an audience and a performer. My joy comes from having the opportunity to make something new and unique and getting the chance to say something no one else has ever expressed in the same way before.