personal.homepage

I am currently a graduate student at the University of Florida studying for a Doctorate in Music Composition, with a special interest in the effects of music on the brain. I have a personal interest in this research as I have twin sons that have been diagnosed with hypotonic cerebral palsy, an ailment that primarily effects their speech and language processing. My eventual goal is to improve the quality of the lives of my children by advancing the knowledge of the neuroprocessing of music and its ability to enhance the processing of language.
Musically, or should I say compositionally, I wish to develop the artistic use of American musical styles, such as blues, jazz, rock, and folk (the music that I have grown up with and that represents my strengths). I also want to write music that is simple, but interesting. All-in-all, my influences include classical, blues, jazz, rock, folk, African and Indian music (pretty much everything I've ever heard). I have been an active member of SCI since 1997, and was the Vice-President of the student chapter at UF in 2001. I am currently a teaching assistant in Music Theory and have previous experience as instructor of Intro to Music Technology.

Awards

Palindrome and Double Fugue: best music composition in the 2001-2001 UF College of Fine Arts juried art show.

Grinter Fellowship, 2001-2003.

Awarded Master of Music degree in Composition, 2001

A. Didier Graeffe Memorial Scholarship for Composition, 2000

Graduated with Highest Honors, Spring 1999, UF, Bachelor of Music in Music Theory

The Mr. and Mrs. John V. D'Albora Scholarship, based on overall record of accomplishment, 1999

Sonata for Brass Quintet: best music composition in the 1999-2000 UF College of Fine Arts juried art show.

Inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, 1998

Other Interests

Cycling: Check out the Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail if you like to bike or rollerblade!!!
The trail head is located at Boulware Springs Park (3500 SE 15th Street) and stretches 15.2 miles
to Hawthorne.

http://www.trailsfromrails.com/gainesville_hawthorne_trail.htm

http://www.afn.org/~ftc/hwtrail.html

Also check out my favorite bike trails at the San Felasco Hammok located behind Progress Park just south of Alachua on 441.

Music Festivals

Magnolia Fest (10/17-10/20, 2002) and Suwannee Springfest (3/20-3/23, 2003)

Florida Music Harvest, 9/20-9/22, 2002