How did your experience with the Civic Orchestra shape your personal and professional development as a musician?
Civic was a fantastic place to soak in as much as I could while being in Chicago. From the coachings, to the lessons, to what we did on stage, and even to attending CSO shows, it was such a great environment to learn what it takes to be a professional and how to get there. I learned a lot about how to be professional and find subbing work while in Civic and it was a perfect training ground to learn about being a professional.
What advice would you give to current Civic Orchestra members or aspiring musicians looking to make their mark in the industry?
Take advantage of everything at Civic and around Civic. Go to as many CSO shows as you can even if they don’t include your instrument on that particular show. Take lessons from CSO musicians who don’t play your instrument and learn from them. We used to get together as the low brass (regular and associate members) and play a ton of excerpts together just to learn things and get better at it. That was invaluable.
What are you currently working on in your music career, and what excites you most about it?
I’m in my seventh season in Kansas City and I’m continuing to work on improving my skills and how I can raise the level of the orchestra here in KC. I’ve done several recitals over the years as well and I’ve enjoyed working on different music than what comes across my stand. I hope to continue to grow as a musician and keep rising in the field and take auditions if I’m interested in them.
