Biography

I began playing music in 1995 when I was six years old. I studied piano for six years at Indian Hill Music School in Littleton, Massachusetts and switched to drum set when I was 12 years old. I took weekly one-on-one drum set lessons from talented Berklee College of Music graduate Lou Lacava through the end of high school. While working with him I established a solid understanding of the drum set. During my high school years, I started my own jam band called The Dancing Head Orchestra.

In 2011, I was accepted to the music program at the University of Colorado Denver where I studied for five years with Afro-Cuban percussionist Thomas VanSchoick. Vanschoick – who studied for many years under world renown Afro-Cuban percussionist Michael Spiro (David Byrne, Cachao, Ella Fitzgerald, Santana) – taught me how to play congas, timbales, bongo, Afro-Cuban drum set, batá drums, shekeré, and auxiliary Afro-Cuban percussion. In addition to my work with Vanschoick, I studied Afro-Cuban percussion and jazz drum set with Dr. Pete Ellingson and Todd Reid. I graduated in the spring of 2016 and received my Bachelor of Science in Music degree with a double major in Afro-Cuban Percussion Performance and Recording Arts. After graduation I stayed in Colorado for five years and taught up to thirty one-on-one drum set and piano lessons every week, and performed and toured with a variety of bands. In August 2021, I moved back to Massachusetts pursuing my masters degree and in August 2023, I graduated from Boston University with a 4.0 GPA and a Master’s Degree in Music Education. In September 2024, I began a professorship at Worcester State University teaching African drumming ensembles, one-on-one Afro-Cuban percussion lessons, and digital music creation classes.

Throughout my career, I have studied with: John “Dandy” Rodríguez Jr. (Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz, Fania All-Stars, Johnny Pacheco, Típica 73, Tito Puente), Walfredo “Wally” Reyes Jr. (Chicago, Gloria Estefan, Santana, Steve Winwood), Calixto Oviedo (Pacho Alonso, Ray Barretto, Tata Güines, NG La Banda, Arturo Sandoval), Michael Spiro (Seven-time Grammy Winner, David Byrne, Cachao, Ella Fitzgerald, Santana), Ruben Alvarez (Grammy Winner, Lion King), Dorothea Taylor a.k.a. The Godmother of Drumming (Drumeo Coach), Allison Miller (Brandi Carlile, Ani DiFranco, Natalie Marchant), Gregory Garrison (Two-time Grammy nominee, Punch Brothers, Leftover Salmon, Chris Thile), Chris Daniels (Chris Daniels and the Kings, Colorado Music Hall of Fame), Peter Stoltzman (Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Deantoni Parks), Dr. Pete Ellingson (Luís Conte, Jerry González, Michael Spiro, Wayne Wallace), and Paul Musso (Colorado Symphony).

I have shared the stage or performed with: Todd Rundgren, Members of the Temptations, Members of The String Cheese Incident, Members of Matchbox 20, Members of Leftover Salmon, Members of the 8-Bit Big Band, Members of Lettuce, Members of Orgone, Members of the Flobots, Lotus, Anomalie, Late Night Radio, Axel Thesleff, Boombox, Brasstracks, Emancipator, Dirt Monkey, MC Lars, Mega Ran, Peter Stoltzman, Dr. Pete Ellingson, and many more.

I have toured different regions of the United States multiple times and played music in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota,  Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Virginia. Additionally, I have performed at Sonic Bloom Music Festival, Arise Music Festival, Infrasound Music Festival, and more.