My earliest memories revolve around pianos and making music on them with my grandmother. I started picking out tunes by ear when I was a preschooler, then started lessons with my grandma. My formal study began when I was 6 years old. I began to realize that piano and music were a true passion as I entered my teen years. When I was 13 years old, a neighborhood piano teacher asked if I would be willing to take some young beginning students. I agreed, and that launched my teaching career.

I studied piano throughout my teen years with Dr. Douglas Humperhys (then at Brigham Young University, currently at Eastman School of Music). I began my university studies at the University of Utah on a piano scholarship where I studied with Professor Janet Mann. During this time I helped start the U of U collegiate MTNA chapter, maintained my private piano studio and taught on the faculty for the University of Utah Preparatory Division of Music as a private piano instructor and Kindermusik teacher. I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy and a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy.

While living in the Chicago area for five years,, I continued teaching private piano lessons in my home studio as well as Kindermusik classes in the community. After relocating to Portland, OR in 2003, I continued my private studio and Kindermusik teaching at a local music school. I chose to step back from teaching for about 13 years while I focused on raising our three children and supporting them in all their pursuits and activities.

In 2019, the timing was finally right for me to dive back into teaching. Since then, I have maintained my private piano studio, taught numerous summer camps, taught Let’s Play Music & Sound Beginnings classes, and accompanied numerous musical productions & soloists in my community. I’m an active member of Music Teacher’s National Association and Oregon Music Teacher’s Association. I am passionate about making music education a positive, worthwhile experience for each student.

Some of my other interests include watching live performances of musical theatre productions, gardening, singing with the Helvetia-Alpengluehn Choir (Swiss), and spending time with my wonderful husband, daughter & son-in-law, and two sons. We have two tuxedo cats, Norman & Maisy, (much beloved by my students), who love listening to all the piano music in our home.