I am very excited to begin my new teaching adventure at Capitol Hill this year. I will be teaching Capitol Hill bands, Museum Magnet bands and Rondo African music ensemble. Previously I was at Webster Magnet Elementary for fourteen years, where I taught band and developed a building wide African music program.
I hail from the state of Kansas where I grew up in a small town. I am the youngest of six children. My father was a band director and my mother taught everyone in town to play the piano. I was fortunate to grow up in such a musically rich family.
I attended the University of Kansas, majoring in music education and clarinet. I taught for fourteen years in Kansas, moved to Minnesota in 1993, and began teaching at Webster.
In 1996 I developed an interest in African music and began to see a window of opportunity for something new and exciting to bring to music education, not only for myself as a musician, but also to students. I have been studying and working closely with Sowah Mensah for the last 10 years. Sowah directs the Macalester, St. Thomas and University of Minnesota African music ensembles. He will be a part of our new Rondo African music program.
I have a 24 year old son, who, in addition to his other music, plays African music with me. I love to hear live music in this great city, and do so often. I play tennis when I’m not too lazy to get myself out on the court. I am currently getting my master’s degree from Hamline University.
