What is your most meaningful musical experience or memory? --My family attended many live concerts in Michigan when I was young, where I got to see incredible pianists like Andre Watts. When I was 8 years old, I watched a senior in high school performing a concerto with the school orchestra at the lovely Detroit Symphony Hall, and in that moment I felt very inspired and decided I would work hard to be a pianist and perform at DS Hall someday, which I did!

What do you enjoy when you are not composing or at the piano? -- I love being in the water, whether swimming open-water races or enjoying lap swim or a fun water aerobics class!

At what age and how did you start composing? -- I didn't write any music until my last year of undergrad at Indiana University, where I was working on two degrees: classical piano and jazz piano. I had finally begun to understand the art of improvisation in my classes with jazz master teacher/composer David Baker, and improvisation suddenly unlocked my ability to compose--it was quite a surprise! 

What advice do you have for our young members interested in composing?--Definitely learn to improvise--any style works. Getting comfortable with improvisation expands our musical horizons and makes us better composers!