About Me


 
I always loved music, and did well at the piano--when I actually practiced.  But when I majored in music and started putting in 20 hours of practice per week (plus accompanying and all the other stuff I did at the piano), I started suffering painful symptoms in my hands and arms that made it hard to continue playing sometimes.  There were times it got so bad, I thought I might have to quit, and choose another profession.  
 
By the time I graduated with my Masters Degree in music, I was frustrated, burned out, and tired of the whole cycle of injury and recovery.  I was disappointed that I couldn't play everything I wanted to play the way I wanted to play it.  I was afraid that if I worked harder I'd just get injured again. I took some time off.  After few years of not practicing much, when I attempted to do some fairly intense accompanying work, I got hurt again.
 
The good news is that I finally found out that the way I was playing was causing my pain, and that meant I could do something about it. Starting in 2003, I started studying the Taubman Approach.  In 2005, I began working with teachers who taught me healthy playing habits, and how to solve problems in music. I've learned things that are so different from the traditional way I was trained.  And this stuff really works!  I've continued that study ever since. I'm playing far better than I ever have, and I feel good.
 
If there is one thing I've come to believe about playing the piano, it's that anything is possible--and easy--once you figure out how to do it.  And that's what I'm here to help you do.





Degrees and stuff:  

Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy (teaching), BYU 1987
Master of Music in Piano Performance, BYU 1990

Nationally Certified Teacher of Music.