Background:

I was born, raised, and still reside in Knoxville, Tennessee. I am currently pursuing both a music degree and a finance degree with a marketing collateral at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I started cello after receiving the tiniest cello you could imagine for my 4th birthday and haven't looked back since. 18 years later, the cello is what I love and how I express myself.

Experience:

I am both a seasoned teacher and performer. As a teacher, I have a studio of about 12 students ranging from ages 6 to 77! I began teaching in 2023 and have loved getting to grow as an educator, musician, and human. I received my Every Child Can! (ECC!) and Suzuki Cello Book 1 certification in the summer of 2024, and plan to get more book certifications in the coming years to continue to learn and grow. I am the cello teacher at LeGrand Music, a teacher at the Joy of Music School (JOMS), and have worked with the Knoxville Suzuki Academy (KSA). I also worked as a rehearsal assistant and orchestra manager for the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Association (KSYOA) from 2022 to 2024.

As a performer, I have both a classical and a more contemporary background. I played with the University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra from 2022 to 2024 and now play and sub with many professional orchestras throughout the Southeast United States, such as the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Philharmonic, Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Amadeus Concert Ensemble, and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, I have entered and placed in many competitions in the East Tennessee Region, most notably winning the 2026 Scruffy City Concerto Competition with the opportunity to solo with the Scruffy City Orchestra in September of 2026. I love to push my boundaries of a "pure classical player" with opportunities in more contemporary music landscapes. I have played with bands such as the Black Jacket Symphony and Milk Man and the Big Band, as well as numerous musical theatre and opera productions. Most recently, I have played Mary Poppins, Once Upon a Mattress, Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof, Newsies, The Addams Family, Peter Pan, the Clarence Brown Theatre's productions of Kinky Boots and Knoxville, Marble City Opera's productions of Susannah and Heartbreak Express, as well as Cattywampus Puppet Council's production of Solastalgia. I also enjoy arranging and composing original compositions for cello and string ensembles, as well as some improv work.