I had been playing piano for 28 years and had studied piano performance and music composition and theory at Oberlin Conservatory when one day my friend, Trey, approached me with an idea for a band: "We're going to meld together a diverse range of musical and poetic styles to explore our Jungian shadows. Oh, and by the way, since I'm from West Virginia, I'd really like for you to take up the accordion so we can get that Appalachian sound." I had been taking some comedy improv courses, so I yes and-ed. And the rest, as they say, is history.
In addition to a 10-year run in that band, Uncle Moon, I've performed as a soloist and as part of a wide range of ensembles in venues running the gamut from Green-Wood Cemetery (as part of the Open House New York festival) to Broadway with stops along the way at BAMcafe, Barbes, the Brooklyn Museum, and many others. I have performed with Michelle Shocked and Frank London for audiences that have included Vaclav Havel and Madeline Albright.
All the while, I've kept composing, with three musicals, a kids’ theater show, a few commercial jingles, and some other projects among my credits. And I also do sound design for theater and film.
Check out my resume page for a more detailed list.
And check out my guest appearance on Greenroom Conversations: The Process Unplugged if you want to hear me talk in more detail about how I came to the accordion, what it's like to journey from the world of classical music to the world of pop, how I improvise, and much, much more.