Summarizing a career in the arts is never easy. There are so many steps, so many mentors, and so many wonderful experiences to attempt to describe. As with most artists, my study of music began early, at the age of eight, with piano lessons. Later, as a teen, I studied trumpet and horn. Upon entering Ball State University, my pursuits grew more varied as I continued to study horn on a scholarship. I became interested in theatre and music composition in addition to instrumental music. After playing in some studio sessions, as well as generally being interested in gadgets, I decided to take some music technology courses. After just one course, I became very engrossed in using synthesis and other technologies, like MIDI, as compositional tools.
In the spring of my fourth year at Ball State, a professor, Dr. Judy Yordon, was staging her new adaptation of Jane Eyre. I asked her if I could write some original music for the production. She said yes, and that was the beginning of what has turned out to be an odyssey in theatrical composition and sound design that has lasted close to twenty years. The following fall I was offered a work-study position as the theater department's sound master. My appointment happened to coincide with the award of a $40,000 grant for sound equipment, which I was in charge of spending, with faculty oversight of course. In my remaining time at BSU, I used the equipment purchased through the grant to produce several sound designs and scores for shows within the department and without.
After school, I began working professionally in theatre. The first three years after leaving Muncie, my opportunities for design and composition were somewhat limited as was my experience in "the real world". I worked mainly as an audio engineer where I gained a lot of knowledge in sound reinforcement. In 1994, I was hired as the Resident Sound Designer and Composer at StageWest in Springfield, MA. During my two years there, I began to work exclusively in the digital domain which opened up a whole new world of sonic possibilities.
Beginning in the spring of 1996, I began freelancing full time as a sound designer and composer. Over the next several years, I was composing and/or designing an average of around twenty shows a year. I formed several lasting relationships with many theaters in South Florida, where I called home for several years. Throughout the intervening years between then and now, I have regularly received critical praise on the local, regional, and national levels and won a handful of awards.
In the late nineties, I began to take a stronger interest in computers. This interest continued to grow until it ultimately led to my taking a position as a Digital Asset Manager for PBM Graphics, a medium-sized printing firm, in the fall of 2000. This position was a nice change of pace from the lifestyle of a freelance artist. It allowed me much more time to concentrate on software development which had become an important interest of mine by then. Since then, I have expanded my software development skills significantly to include several languages and new technologies. My responsibilities at PBM also expanded to include taking lead on development projects as well as serving as the company's webmaster.
However, after a year of not working in theatre or writing music, I found myself becoming restless. So, I began to seek out freelance work once again. Interestingly, the projects I have been involved with since 2001 have been among the most rewarding of my career. I have had the great pleasure of working regularly with Playmakers Repertory Company where I have collaborated with many very fine guest artists on some wonderful plays, including several premieres. I have also continued to work with theatres in South Florida. Foremost among these is New Theatre, where I am an Associate Artist. At New Theatre, I have continued to work on new plays and several Shakespeare projects, as well as having the great fortune of composing the score for the world premiere of Anna in the Tropics, the play that won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
In 2006, I began pursuit of a Master’s in Computer Music and New Media at Northern Illinois University where I have studied privately with James Phelps and David Maki. I have also had the great fortune of serving as the graduate assistant for the computer music department which has offered me the opportunity to teach courses and gain experience with presenting computer music events. Additionally, I have served as an instructor and sound supervisor in the School of Theatre and Dance at NIU. The experiences of teaching and working with undergraduate students have been very rewarding.
