Mentorship

As a mentor, I see myself as a creative advisor and advocate for artists. There are several creeds that I abide by in terms of advocacy and creative programming:

All composed works deserve informed, impassioned, and respectful interpretation.

All artists deserve respect for the difficult task of “laying themselves bare,” which is to say, presenting their composed music to the world. All music is subjective. Nobody should be expected to like or dislike anything.

There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” music. There is no such thing as objective subjectivity.

I love making personal connections with artists and communities that transcend our original purpose of meeting. And I am particularly committed to supporting underrepresented composers and performers.

Some master classes and academic presentations include:

·      Masterclass with Students of Dr. Tiffany DuMouchelle, SUNY University at Buffalo, April 19, 2023

·      Masterclass with students of Dr. Holly Bewlay, SUNY Buffalo State University, February 9, 2023

·      Professional Development Presentation, Clarence Schools, Clarence, NY, September 1, 2021

·      Ensemble Workshops, Cheektowaga Schools, Cheektowaga, NY, June 7-10, 2021

·      Spirituals Workshop with Amherst HS Choir, Amherst Central High School, Amherst, NY, February 24, 2021

·      Orchard Park Schools, Orchard Park, NY, 2021

·      Spirituals Workshop, Lewiston-Porter High School, Youngstown, NY, December 4, 2021

·      Lancaster High School, Lancaster, NY, 2021

·      Niagara Falls School District; Niagara Falls, NY, 2021

·      Amherst Central Schools, Amherst, NY, 2020

Please reach out if you would like to hire me for lectures, master classes, or workshops.