My personal journey to professional artistry has informed my teaching philosophy. As a professor, I seek to be a fair advocate and provide counsel for talented students, whether the student seeks financial aid opportunities, extra one-on-one mentoring, a guided research experience, language training, study abroad, or a summer program, in order to meet their future goals. In addition to teaching the skills necessary to be a complete musician, I transfer the knowledge needed to advance professionally as a musician. I encourage the personal demeanor necessary to be a healthy and supportive colleague in performance and academic contexts, enlivening the attitude that the progress of the group toward their common goals is paramount to personal accolades and achievement. I embody the lifestyle necessary to be a complete musician staying physically healthy, setting priorities, preparing well, and practicing effectively. I emphasize an attitude of enjoying and learning from the process of making music. I believe that the joy of the process will strengthen and motivate the student to continue with the discipline, persistence, and passion necessary to sustain a career in music. This has certainly been true in my case.