My musical life began before I was even born, in the baby bump under my mother’s cello. I grew up in Texas, where my parents were orchestra teachers in the Austin area, as well as professional musicians and tenured members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. As a young child I would gaze in awe as my father would serenade us with his violin, hanging on to every note. I took a great interest in not only what my mother taught but how she taught it. As I grew, I discovered a passion for composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, and Saint-Saëns, and could often be found listening to the local classical radio station.

I began studying the cello in 1995, and participated in the Austin Youth Orchestra from 1998 to 2006, progressing my way up to principal cellist of the youth symphony. I was the Principal Cellist of the A.N. McCallum Fine Arts Academy Chamber Orchestra. I attended Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, studying under Dr. Mira Frisch and Dr. Brian Kubin.

After fiddling around with the violin for years, I began formal studies in 2007. I relocated to Chapel Hill, North Carolina where I added the viola to my repertoire in 2012. (began formal Teaching, Chapel Hill Philharmonia, Ehsan’s ensemble, etc.)

During the pandemic I briefly relocated to Louisville, KY where I continued teaching lessons via Zoom. After a decade in North Carolina and two years in Kentucky, my husband and I found ourselves at home in the Pacific Northwest.

In my free time I enjoy movies with my husband, snuggles with my kitties, and picking up instruments like the mandolin and fretless bass guitar. Piano made several appearances in my education, but alas, we were not made for one another. My musical lineage includes Pablo Casals, Paul Olefsky, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Phyllis Young.