1. Where do you currently teach?  I am in my 7th year at Meigs Academic Magnet Middle School in Nashville.
  
2. What is your alma mater? I graduated from Olivet Nazarene University, post graduate work at Indiana University and Vandercook College of Music.
 
3. How long have you been teaching? This is my 40th year of teaching.
 
4. What has been one of your favorite pieces of music to perform with your students? I have had so many.  One of my favorites are “Fantasia on a Theme from Thailand” by Richard Meyer.
 
5. What instrument do you play? Trombone
 
6. Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching. I enjoy running. I have completed 25 marathons and about 11 half marathons in the last 18 years.
 
7. What is your favorite thing about your school or community? I love the diversity of my students and the support that I receive from my parents and administration.

​1. Where do you currently teach?

West Valley Middle School in Knoxville, TN
 
2. What is your alma mater?

B.M. University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
M.M. Juilliard School
 
3. How long have you been teaching?

I'm in year 12.
 
4. What has been one of your favorite pieces of music to perform with your students?

                                                                    Viva La Vida by the band Cold Play.
 
 5. What instrument do you play?
​
Double Bass
 
6. Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.

I love woodworking and model trains because I like creating and building. I wish I had more skill and I'm in awe of people who can make their living creating things. I only wish I had more time.
 
7. What is your favorite thing about your school or community?

I am extremely fortunate to belong to a school family that supports the fine arts and recognizes its impact on the lives and emotional development of young people. Our administrators believe in the value of what the fine arts teachers do every day. It would be hard to imagine a more supportive place to work. I believe our community also recognizes these values and has grown to expect high quality arts instruction from our school. This challenge is what gets me to work every day.

​1. Where do you currently teach? Overton High School in Memphis
 
2. What is your alma mater? Overton High School in Memphis
Serendipitous, isn’t it?
 
3. How long have you been teaching? 11 years
 
4. What has been one of your favorite pieces of music to perform with your students? Procession of the Sardar from Caucasian Sketches
 
5. What instrument do you play? Violin, Viola
 
6. Tell us one thing about you that people would be surprised to know or something you are passionate about besides teaching.
I spent 20 years as a manager in the financial services industry before I decided to return to music, and take up teaching. I also love to go fishing!
 
7. What is your favorite thing about your school or community? In my orchestra, my students’ parents are the best, and they are serious about their children being productive, professional and positive in the public’s eyes. It’s the one thing that keeps me pushing ahead, even when the chips are down.

Our new TnMEA Orchestra blog will be coming soon!