I started taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old. I studied primarily classical piano music in Delavan, Wisconsin with pianist and composer Charma Davies Lepke. When I was a sophomore at Delavan-Darien High School, I was introduced to jazz by band director Joseph Kieraldo. I started playing piano in jazz band in high school that year. Mrs. Lepke and Mr. Kieraldo made a real impact on my life and helped to shape me into the pianist I am today.
Upon graduation from high school, I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I completed a bachelor's degree in Computer Science in December of 1991. While I was an undergrad at UW-Madison, I had the opportunity to study music theory, music history, and sang in a University choral group despite majoring in something other than music. In January 1992, I moved from Madison to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My first full-time job out of college was as a computer programmer/analyst. I spent the next 9 years working on computer software development.
Shortly after arriving in Milwaukee, I began studying jazz piano with Kevin Kostick. Mr. Kostick's lessons made an immediate impact on my piano playing and I became more focused on jazz piano. I also began to compose original jazz compositions. I began to play solo piano in public in places like the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin and a restaurant in Saukville, Wisconsin called the Parkview Grill. Once I started performing regularly in public, I was really hooked on piano music. It truly had transformed me.
In the fall of 2006, I enrolled at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee. I studied classical piano and piano pedagogy with Dr. Kayme Henkel and jazz piano with Mark Davis. In the fall of 2008, I began working at Wisconsin Conservatory of Music as a Student Services Assistant.
In 2011, I began playing piano at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I have played piano frequently at the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. I have been in Kohler pretty steadily since 2005. For details on when I play piano, please click on Public Performances.
I teach piano students at my home. My studio policies can be reviewed by clicking on Piano Lessons.
