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603-563-1279

Music Dept. Chair / Music Instructor

B.A. with Honors in Music.  1996.  Brown University (Providence, RI.)

M.A. in Music and Music Education.  1999. Columbia University (New York, NY)

Graduate Fellowship:  Orchestral Conducting.  2007.  Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)

I was born in Latin America but raised in the heart of the non-glitzy area of Hollywood.  My mother, a true believer in the “American Dream”, pushed me daily and from it developed curiosity and a love for exploration.  I’d say that the most defining time of my life were my high school years at an inspirational boarding school in Southern California.  I attended college and graduate school on the East Coast and then returned to California to spend time closer to family.  I’ve been teaching music for over 14 years, occasionally dabbling in other areas of academia—from teaching AP Spanish to serving as Director of Summer School.  I come to Dublin from Princeton, NJ (by way of Boston) where I served as Director of Music for several years.   And I’m excited to be here.  Let’s turn the music on!

What book has made you think the most?: “Cien Anos de Soledad” (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez-- a book that ignited my love for the magical and wondrous in life, and a work of art that connected me to my Latino heritage.  I was also taught the book by then-visiting professor at Brown, Carlos Fuentes, not only a well-known author himself but also a close friend of Garcia-Marquez (extra cool). Close second:   "Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copland

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?: My superpower would be the power to live the life of another person or animal whenever I want.  I could be a chef in some rustic restaurant in the outskirts of Florence or a Kodiak bear during Alaskan salmon season.  But only if it coordinates with my school calendar.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?: “On Earth as it is in Heaven” from the 1986 film, The Mission. It’d have to be performed and recorded by the Vienna Philharmonic.  Conducted by me.

What teacher has had the most impact on you? How were they special?: Mr. Bell- my high school math teacher, coach and father figure.  His wife Shawna, Travis and the gang.

How would your friends describe you in 3 words?: One is definitely Creative.  Chatty is high up on the list (as the length of this answer might show). And Nurturing-bordering-on-motherly is not too far behind.  Someone wonderful said, “Great Big Heart”.

You are hosting a dinner party and must invite 3 famous people. Who would you choose and why?: Dinner Guests would include....

Anthony Bourdain:  He’s the rebel.  Plus, I’d get excellent advice on food and places to visit.

Peter Tchaikovsky:  A reminder that wondrous work can emerge even from the darkest of places.

Tina Turner:  It's Tina Turner- no explanation needed.

Oh, and dinner would be catered by Tom Colicchio and paid for by someone else!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?: Javier Bardem. I love his work. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s Spanish (close enough to Latino) but he is about 3 feet taller than me so they’d have to use some Hobbit-like special effects. But I wouldn’t object if it were Jake Gyllenhaal or James Franco.