Percussion is my passion and has been my hobby turned career for over 30 years. I was brought up in the "family business" with both of my parents being high school band directors (yes, I was in their band). I currently serve as the Percussion Area Head at the University of Utah where I get to work alongside great colleagues (students and faculty) in an incredible culture and performance environment. In addition to my work with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, I have performed with national theater touring shows including Aladdin amongst others. I have been involved in various recording projects with Warner Chappell Music and the Utah Symphony as well as for ABC, ESPN, TNT and local media outlets. I previously served as the director for the NBA’s Utah Jazz Street Beats.
I have had the opportunity to perform, present clinics and master-classes throughout the U.S. and internationally including multiple Percussive Arts Society International Conventions (PASIC), ), XII Festival de Percussão 2 de Julho in Salvador Brazil, Universidad Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Universidad da Bahia and Universidad de Recife, Northwest Percussion Festival, various Percussive Arts Society’s “Days of Percussion”, National Association for Music Education, and numerous state Music Educators Association Conventions as well as prominent universities across the U.S
During the summer, I co-direct the Treasure Coast Percussion Camp in my hometown of Vero Beach, FL., which I founded in 2006 alongside my great friend and colleague, Brandon Putzke. I began my university teaching career at Clemson University in 2007 followed by the University of South Alabama (2008-2012) and University of Utah since 2012. My travels and study abroad include Trinidad, Ghana and Brazil.