B.A. and M.A., Stanford University; Ph.D. (composition-theory), The University of Iowa; additional study with John Chowning in computer music and Hans Peter Haller in electronic music
I try to demonstrate to my students that I deeply enjoy teaching. I take my teaching responsibilities very seriously and strive to give my students a rich educational experience. Perhaps because of this, I was nominated for the Outstanding Faculty Award in 1999 and have been included in the Dean's list of excellence in teaching.
I try to make the student a full participant in the educational process by drawing them into the material through interactive dialogue. This method explicitly builds on what the student already knows and provides a context for understanding new concepts. It also helps me determine what is not understood and take necessary steps.
I try to show how the subject matter in the class is relevant to the student as a musician and to teach directly from source material rather than textbooks. This demands more work on my part but I believe it results in a deeper educational experience for the student.
Nothing is more satisfying than changing someone's life in a positive way, and this is the ultimate reason why I teach to try to give back to new, young musicians some of direction and insights that I myself received at the hands of a few thoughtful and dedicated musicians.