I began teaching music at Claxton Elementary in 2007. I grew up in Raleigh, N.C. and graduated high school in Morehead City, N.C., where my family moved when I was a junior in high school. I ran for the hills to attend Western Carolina University for my undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Music, where I graduated in 1993. After making a go as a professional guitarist in my 20's, in 1998 I returned to school for a Masters of Science in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
I first discovered my love of teaching by giving guitar lessons in my late teens and early twenties and began my professional career as a classroom teacher in Knox Co. Schools, Tennessee, as a high school Spanish teacher. After stints in the San Francisco Bay area and Miami, Florida, where I taught as a Spanish, music, and grade-level class teacher in Waldorf Schools, I moved back to western N.C. in 2006 and began teaching in Asheville City Schools.
I love all things musical, but especially love the great "classic rock" era of the late 1960's and early '70's. It was the music of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and the like that inspired me to pick up guitar and start my journey as a musician. Over the years, I have performed as a solo guitarist and singer/songwriter, as the member of countless bands, and as a wedding musician. I am so grateful to share my love of music with my students and feel very fortunate to be a music teacher in such a musical city as Asheville. My wife and I love attending concerts, gardening, hiking, spending time with friends and family, or hanging out with our fat orange kitty-cat, Barnaby Jones.
Mr. Barnaby Jones
The Maestro!
The Chinese Lion
Kindergarteners have begun some drumming and xylophone work to bring nursery rhymes to life with instrumental accompaniment. The story book Clarinet and Trumpet teaches us about the woodwinds and brass instruments through a tale of friendship challenged by new acquaintances. Reading Una Niña, Un Tambor, Un Sueño, integrates Spanish into the music lessons as we learn about the changing norms of who is allowed to play drums in Cuban society. Sing a Song, Mr. Moon, Count on Me are songs we're currently enjoying.
First graders are preparing for the Spring Concert with Sing a Song and Mr. Moon, as well as some drumming pieces. We are learning basic hand drum technique as we approach multi-layered rhythms with the help of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Playing hand bells and xylophones along with Mr. Moon helps orient us to ideas of rhythm and pitch.
Second grade is tackling a mini-musical, The Selfish Giant in preparation for the Spring Concert. We are being challenged to learn musical numbers from a vocal score and add some instrumental accompaniment. We also have a couple of other songs in the works; See Us Shine is a song composed for the 2004 Winter Olympic Games with themes of teamwork and community. From our integration with 2nd grade Wit & Wisdom Pioneer themed lessons, Home on the Range proves yet again that oldies are goodies.
This year's 3rd graders are making impressive progress in their ukulele unit. Lime in the Coconut and Paw Paw Patch helped us transition through one and two chord songs and now we have learned enough to attempt some more challenging chord progressions.
4th graders are also in their ukulele unit. Row Your Boat had us singing and strumming in a round and we are now learning how to pluck melodies by reading tablature, a form of written music notation for stringed instruments. Challenging play along videos, like Someone to Lava have us attempting the tricky G7 chord too!
5th graders have been engaged in a recorder flute unit. Attempting some genuine recorder repertoire from the 16th century, like Bransle de Champaigne allows us to hear the instrument in its truer context as opposed to the children's songs we mainly stick to in 4th grade. Some recorder video play-alongs, like Eye of the Tiger are keeping things fun with a more relaxing and simple approach too. We're also taking some brain breaks with group drumming here and there.