I was born in Wisconsin approximately 100 years after the birth of ragtime pianist Scott Joplin. 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. Later that year, I had the opportunity to study classical piano with Dr. Jerry Bramblett at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Mrs. Lepke, Mr. Kieraldo, and Dr. Bramblett 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. Initially, I studied classical piano music with Barbara Henry. Later I went on to study classical piano and piano pedagogy with Kayme Henkel and jazz piano with Mark Davis.
I play piano nearly every Friday and Saturday night at the American Club in Kohler. I have been doing this pretty steadily since 2005. For details on when I play piano in Kohler and other places, please click on the Public Performances link below. I teach piano students at my home.
