Not everyone can say they have always known what they wanted to do with their life, but that is exactly the case for me. My immediate and extended family includes a vast number of musicians, so I was lucky to be constantly immersed in music from the time I was born. My passion for music truly began at the age of three when I was inspired to learn the violin by watching my sister at her violin lessons. My mom ensured I had a foundation in classical music, so my youth was consumed with hours of lessons, practicing, group classes, quartet rehearsals, orchestra rehearsals, performance classes, etc.
After studying classical violin for about five years, I saw a PBS special about bluegrass music, which introduced me to a world outside of the classical studies that consumed me. The show included performances by Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Nickel Creek, and so many other amazing musicians. Although I continued with rigorous classical instruction through the end of high school, bluegrass and folk music quickly became my passion, and within a few years I had added mandolin, guitar, and many other instruments to my “arsenal.” I had the opportunity to attend Mark O’Connor’s string camp in California when I was about 14, which opened my access to alternative styles even more. At this point I was recording and touring in a folk/bluegrass/americana/roots (etc.) band with my brother and sister, and my desire to be a professional musician continued to grow stronger every time I stepped on stage. Somewhere in the mix, around the age of 10, I also started to write music which is an interest that has continued to grow and develop with time.
Fast forward to present day–I am now 25 years old, living in Nashville, TN where I split my time between touring/recording (in the same band with my brother and sister), working in the “biz” on Music Row, and hiring out for gigs/sessions with other artists in Music City. Being a professional musician is not always easy, but for me it is something that I can’t live without. Music chose me, and I consider myself fortunate to pursue a career I adore so much.