1) Q: After getting your bachelors, then masters at northwestern, you pursued doctoral studies in the Department of Music and Human Learning at the University of Texas at Austin. What did you do? What was it like?
Music and human learning- college level music teaching and education. Lots of research; and I already had a masters and bachelors degree in piano performance...so it was something new. I was always working as a musician. I never just went to college. I was always teaching. So that was good because some people don’t even work in college…and they are dumb (Laughs). So I was gaining experience while I was learning. I ended up leaving Texas for a good job offer that...you know I couldn’t resist.
Q: What was your job offer?
Senior editor at a publishing company..Music publishing.
2) Q: Do you feel you made the right decision going into an art related field, opposed to a more guaranteed higher paying business profession?
Yeah, there is a saying that (Winton Marsalis) you don’t choose music, music chooses you. And I think that is very true. And I think that there are three different groups of people. People that do music because there is nothing else...and they are often in trouble. Then, there is the second group that do it because they can’t see themselves doing anything else. Then the third group of people that find a balance to do music and something else…which is cool…but I was definitely the second group. I don’t want to make it seem like if you are unsure about something not to do it, but you will definitely know. It’s all about your experience.
3) Q: Even with a bachelor’s degree in music, did you feel unqualified going into music as a profession? Were you nervous? Did you ever feel that you weren’t good enough?
Oh yeah. Of course I did. It takes a lot of time to gain enough confidence and experience to feel good about yourself as a musician. And there are still parts of my business that I feel like a total klutz. Even though I never doubted my degree choice, there were so many times I wanted to quit. I had serious struggles with doubts.
Q: How did you overcome those? Did you put those thoughts aside?
I realized I was there for me. Regardless of if I won the competition or if my career was important to anyone else…I didn’t care what they thought. I knew what I was doing and I knew why I was there. It wasn’t their life. I didn’t care. You just have to focus on what YOU want. It’s like that band teacher you had. He said you weren’t good enough. You weren’t good at the skills he required, but he didn’t see what you WERE good at. That’s why you have to keep going, and not always listen to people that may be professionals.
4) Q: How does your work affect their personal life? Do you still find yourself doing all the things you once did before this company was your main priority? (Jamming)
Yeah, it has. Unfortunately. And I think in one hand its good, because now we play music all day long; but it does mean that I don’t play music anymore, and then come home and play music just to relax me anymore. So yeah, it has in a way.
5) Q: Did teaching music affect you in any way? What have you gained from teaching?
I just love the look on people’s faces when they get something. And it has brought so much happiness into my life that I just want to share it. And I want other people to feel that. It became a matter of fulfillment for other people…where as performing its all about you, and who you are impressing. I just feel a lot better sharing it.
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