ABOUT THE COMPOSER

I have always loved playing music. The Zither was my first instrument. I began trumpet lessons when I was seven and played the trumpet for the next thirty years. From the beginning, I played with the St. Martin of Tours school band: marching band, concert band and the required solo recitals. At thirteen I began piano and had the privilege to study with Francis Welsh. He taught me how to see and hear the music past the written page.

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It was at Cardinal Dougherty High School that my exposure to music continued to grow. I played in the concert band, marching band, jazz band and occasionally for musicals.

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In 1985, I was accepted as a music education major at Millersville University. After two years, the music program and I went separate ways. At Millersville I had my first introduction to music theory and ear training. I did perform with marching band, symphonic band and a semester or two of choir.

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After graduating, I played in a big band, weddings and parties for three years and then I withdrew from performing in public. I began composing as a hobby, sharing my compositions with friends and family. A few years later, a coworker asked me to help with a drum and bugle corps and I taught brass for a few years. For the next 15 years, I played the piano for myself and occasionally for friends. I played mostly pop ballads. I was feeling empty with music but could not figure out what I was needing in the music world.

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It was through my current job that I met Mike Cone who would find what I was missing in music. As my job requires a return trip every 6 months and I was cleaning my house of old CDs. Six months after giving a CD to him, he suggested that I should start composing again and he offered his Mac laptop to get started. I did not take up up on his offer, but I did start composing again. He and others have continued to encourage me to share my music with the world. Mike has continued to encourage and mentor my music for the last 5 years. I don't always listen. I will always compose music for I enjoy composition immensely.