Why the Horn?
I wanted to play something no one else would— and I wanted to make sure my mom liked it, and she did!
Do you remember your first time playing with a full orchestra? What was that like?
I auditioned into the Metropolitan (Detroit) Youth Symphony in eighth grade and I remember the thrill of making music with other kids who really cared about playing well. My mom recalls that during my first performance at Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall, I actually stopped playing for a moment. When she asked why, I told her I was amazed to be surrounded by so many gorgeous sounds. (Sometimes I still feel that amazement, but now I keep playing!)
What do you hope your students take with them—whether or not they continue in music?
A sense of their own worth. Confidence in themselves and their abilities. A love of making music. Patience with the idea that there are few quick fixes in life, and the understanding that consistent effort over time leads to lasting progress. Time management skills. And yes—a lifelong love of the horn! Notice how many of those things aren’t directly about music…
What’s one of your favorite memories of performing with the Phil?
I’m sure the November concert is about to become one! A special past memory is performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for winds with my woodwind principal colleagues in 2015. Beyond that, there are countless small moments—when my colleagues and friends create astonishingly beautiful music and I get to witness it up close onstage.
What makes the horn section at the Phil special?
Trust. Dave, Neil, Marina, and I have been playing together for quite a while. We get along, our musical ideas align, and we genuinely like each other. We also have fun! But most of all, it’s deeply fulfilling to make music with people you trust so completely.
You mentioned you like traveling and that one of your next destinations may be Mongolia.
What have your travels taught you that’s influenced your playing or teaching?
One of the things I love about traveling is seeing how other people live—how they spend their time, the food they eat, the views from their windows, the ways they communicate, what they value. It’s a reminder that there are far more possibilities in the world than the one I experience every day.
At the same time, I believe all human beings are the same at our core—we want the same things, and we feel the same things. The more I can broaden my sense of the variety of human experience, the better I can connect with students, the better I can connect with audiences, and the more honestly I can express myself.
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