Recent News
Aug. 14, 2018
The Kris Johnson Group is back again this fall with The Underground Series, a series of live recording sessions taking place around Detroit each month from August through December! All of the sessions will be livestreamed, so please stay tuned for links to catch us in action!
Oct. 31, 2017
The tour with the Kris Johnson Group in August was fantastic - always so much fun to perform with those musicians! I am very pleased to announce that we have been invited back to perform at the Detroit Symphony Hall's Cube performance space in Detroit on November 17, 2017. Tickets and more details can be found here.
Aug. 17, 2017
This May, I graduated from Peabody with my Master of Music in Percussion Performance, and I recently started working for Community Concerts at Second, a classical music presenting organization in Baltimore. I'm really enjoying my new job, and am glad to be able to continue to perform and stay involved with the music scene here.
Also, very exciting news - I will be joining the Kris Johnson Group on tour next week for the CD release of our newest album, The Unpaved Road! We'll be opening in Detroit, and then performing in Baltimore, New York, and Washington D.C. I'd love to see you all at one of our shows if you're in the area!
Also, very exciting news - I will be joining the Kris Johnson Group on tour next week for the CD release of our newest album, The Unpaved Road! We'll be opening in Detroit, and then performing in Baltimore, New York, and Washington D.C. I'd love to see you all at one of our shows if you're in the area!
Jan. 16, 2017
I am just starting my final semester at Peabody! Lots of exciting performances this semester, including a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah for a performance with the Kris Johnson Group in March, and my Master's recital at the end of April. To see a few things I've been working on, check out updates to my Chamber Music Media, Photo Gallery, and Projects pages.
In the meantime, I am applying to various jobs and plan to start working post-graduation. In addition to performing and teaching as a freelance percussionist and educator, I am also considering administrative positions in arts administration. I am both nostalgic and excited to see my graduate studies come to a close, and look forward to whatever the next step may bring!
In the meantime, I am applying to various jobs and plan to start working post-graduation. In addition to performing and teaching as a freelance percussionist and educator, I am also considering administrative positions in arts administration. I am both nostalgic and excited to see my graduate studies come to a close, and look forward to whatever the next step may bring!
2016
Oct. 4, 2016
I’m very excited to be back in Baltimore to start the second year of my Master's degree program at Peabody, and it is already shaping up to be a great final year of graduate studies! So far, my schedule includes several new endeavors, such as:
- serving as a Junior Board member with the Shriver Hall Concert Series Board of Directors in Baltimore
- working as a peer advisor in the Peabody Music Entrepreneurship and Career Center
- continuing my graduate assistantship in the Humanities Department to work as a writing tutor and class TA
- classes on everything from the history of J.S. Bach, to a musical free improvisation lab
- preparing solo repertoire for my Master's degree recital coming up in the Spring
- rehearsing for the Fall Peabody Percussion Group Concert, as well as additional chamber group and ensemble performances
I'm looking forward to all that this year holds and to the next chapter in store for me after graduation, wherever that may lead!
The Kris Johnson Group
This summer, we headed back to the studio for another recording session. It's always amazing and inspiring to play with this incredible group. Kris recently released Jim Crow's Tears, an album version of his jazz musical which was debuted in 2013, and he will be releasing the remaining tracks and videos of Unpaved Road in the coming months. Stay tuned for recording links and live performance dates as well!
Love Beats Rain
I have also been in the process of developing a musical project in collaboration with J. Clay Gonzalez, a composer colleague who is a fellow University of Michigan alum. On October 6th at 7pm, I am directing and performing in the premiere of his new work, Love Beats Rain: an opera in one act, along with several other Peabody colleagues. This piece is a new chamber work that explores the immersive and meditative spaces that music can create. I look forward to sharing this experience with the Peabody and Baltimore community!
- serving as a Junior Board member with the Shriver Hall Concert Series Board of Directors in Baltimore
- working as a peer advisor in the Peabody Music Entrepreneurship and Career Center
- continuing my graduate assistantship in the Humanities Department to work as a writing tutor and class TA
- classes on everything from the history of J.S. Bach, to a musical free improvisation lab
- preparing solo repertoire for my Master's degree recital coming up in the Spring
- rehearsing for the Fall Peabody Percussion Group Concert, as well as additional chamber group and ensemble performances
I'm looking forward to all that this year holds and to the next chapter in store for me after graduation, wherever that may lead!
The Kris Johnson Group
This summer, we headed back to the studio for another recording session. It's always amazing and inspiring to play with this incredible group. Kris recently released Jim Crow's Tears, an album version of his jazz musical which was debuted in 2013, and he will be releasing the remaining tracks and videos of Unpaved Road in the coming months. Stay tuned for recording links and live performance dates as well!
Love Beats Rain
I have also been in the process of developing a musical project in collaboration with J. Clay Gonzalez, a composer colleague who is a fellow University of Michigan alum. On October 6th at 7pm, I am directing and performing in the premiere of his new work, Love Beats Rain: an opera in one act, along with several other Peabody colleagues. This piece is a new chamber work that explores the immersive and meditative spaces that music can create. I look forward to sharing this experience with the Peabody and Baltimore community!
May 7, 2016
It's hard to believe I'm already wrapping up my first year of graduate studies at Peabody! It's been a fantastic year, and I feel extremely grateful to have already had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful composers and performers here in Baltimore. Recordings of recent performances are coming soon, and I'm very excited to share some of these collaborations.
I'm also thrilled to announce that my solo performance of David Lang's Unchained Melody will be featured next week on Black Swamp's World of Percussion webcast, hosted by Dan Smithiger. Tune in for the release this Monday, May 9th! Gardening Club free jazz quartet is also playing a few shows next week as well. Check out a few of our recently released recordings.
Finally, as much as I enjoy living in Baltimore, I am very excited to be coming home to Michigan for the summer to work for Summer and Special Programs at Cranbrook Schools, and to continue work on the Unpaved Road recording project with The Kris Johnson Group. I'll be around from June to mid-August - let's make some music together!
I'm also thrilled to announce that my solo performance of David Lang's Unchained Melody will be featured next week on Black Swamp's World of Percussion webcast, hosted by Dan Smithiger. Tune in for the release this Monday, May 9th! Gardening Club free jazz quartet is also playing a few shows next week as well. Check out a few of our recently released recordings.
Finally, as much as I enjoy living in Baltimore, I am very excited to be coming home to Michigan for the summer to work for Summer and Special Programs at Cranbrook Schools, and to continue work on the Unpaved Road recording project with The Kris Johnson Group. I'll be around from June to mid-August - let's make some music together!
Jan. 1, 2016
Happy New Year! My first semester at Peabody has come to a close. I'm really enjoying my time in Baltimore and am gaining many valuable experiences through my program. I have easily settled into my new environment and I am quickly becoming involved in the surrounding musical community. In addition to taking part in Peabody ensembles (including the Peabody Percussion Group, Concert Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble), I am also performing with Gardening Club, a newly-formed free jazz/improvisational quartet. We already had a few performances and recording sessions, and plan to play more together this semester; stay tuned for recordings and upcoming events!
In October, I also had the incredible opportunity to perform with Samba New York!, a Brazilian drumming and dance ensemble, for the Village Halloween Parade in New York City. Performing with the batería was a blast, and it was great to visit the city for the weekend.
Finally, back in Detroit, The Kris Johnson Group continues to release singles as part of our studio video series, The Unpaved Road. Recordings can be found on YouTube, Facebook, or SoundCloud. It is always a pleasure to collaborate with these talented musicians!
In October, I also had the incredible opportunity to perform with Samba New York!, a Brazilian drumming and dance ensemble, for the Village Halloween Parade in New York City. Performing with the batería was a blast, and it was great to visit the city for the weekend.
Finally, back in Detroit, The Kris Johnson Group continues to release singles as part of our studio video series, The Unpaved Road. Recordings can be found on YouTube, Facebook, or SoundCloud. It is always a pleasure to collaborate with these talented musicians!
2015
Sept. 20, 2015
In August, I moved to Baltimore to begin my graduate studies at Peabody Conservatory! I'll be studying with Robert van Sice for the next two years for a M.M. in Percussion Performance. There are many exciting opportunities here! Even in the first month of school, I'm already becoming very involved in my program, and I really enjoy living in Baltimore. Below is just a snapshot of some of the things I'm up to:
- percussionist with the Peabody Camerata
- premiering a new work in a composition recital
- singing in the choir at America's first cathedral, the Baltimore Basilica
- working at the Music Entrepreneurship & Career Center
- tutoring students through the Peabody Writing Center
- serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Humanities Department
As usual, the semester is off to a busy start, but I'm having a great time and learning so much in the process.
- percussionist with the Peabody Camerata
- premiering a new work in a composition recital
- singing in the choir at America's first cathedral, the Baltimore Basilica
- working at the Music Entrepreneurship & Career Center
- tutoring students through the Peabody Writing Center
- serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Humanities Department
As usual, the semester is off to a busy start, but I'm having a great time and learning so much in the process.
Aug. 28, 2015
I recently learned that I have been named winner of the annual PAS /Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship. Percussive Arts Society provides this award to a full-time student seeking learning opportunities in both classical and contemporary music. The award will go towards my tuition costs at Peabody. I am thrilled and honored to be a recipient of this scholarship. Thanks PAS!