Award-Winning Choral Conductor, Singer, and Collaborative Pianist
2025 American Prize Winner — Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting
Conducting Philosophy:
I believe that great choral music-making begins with connection. While technical excellence is essential, the deepest purpose of ensemble singing is to bring people together through shared artistic experiences that foster empathy, curiosity, and understanding.
As a conductor, I strive to create an environment where singers feel both challenged and supported - where artistic growth is pursued with rigor, but also with joy, trust, and mutual respect. My role is not simply to teach notes and rhythms, but to help singers discover meaning within the music and within themselves. I believe the most memorable performances are those that communicate something true and deeply human. When performers connect authentically with a text, a musical phrase, or with one another, the result is something far more powerful than technical accuracy alone.
As a conductor, I view repertoire selection as an opportunity to broaden musical horizons, cultivate curiosity, and help singers discover the power of their own voices. My programming is guided by three core values: artistic growth, meaningful storytelling, and human connection. At its best, a concert becomes a journey that invites singers and audiences to explore ideas, emotions, and experiences that connect us to one another.
I am particularly drawn to repertoire with meaningful texts and compelling stories. Whether exploring Renaissance music, championing living composers, premiering new works, or collaborating across artistic disciplines, I seek programming that asks meaningful questions, encourages reflection, and creates space for genuine emotional engagement. I believe that music has the power to help us engage with beauty, wonder, grief, hope, identity, and belonging - experiences that unite us across backgrounds and generations.
As a conductor, I aim to cultivate ensembles that sing with both precision and purpose, where every rehearsal is an opportunity to grow as musicians, and every performance is an opportunity to communicate something meaningful.
Ultimately, I hope my singers leave rehearsals not only as stronger musicians, but as more thoughtful, confident, and connected people. Likewise, I hope audiences leave performances inspired not simply by what they heard, but by what they felt and discovered through the experience of listening together.