As a performer, I strive to reveal this innermost self while also directly serving the audience’s needs—to become larger than life without ever being inaccessible. One way I pursue this dual responsibility is by envisioning an “energy wheel” between myself and the crowd. My passionate performance turns the wheel outward from me, and listeners’ attention and enthusiasm turn it back toward the stage. A successful show is one at which the wheel never stops moving because the audience and performers are constantly engaged.

As an instructor, I wish for each player to develop his or her own musical identity. I always encourage experimentation so that students may blossom not only as worthy imitators but also as unique innovators. This is not to say that I shy away from teaching established theory and technique; on the contrary, I believe that the complete expression of oneself through an instrument depends on having a vast arsenal of technical tools within one’s reach. My goal, therefore, is to fill musicians’ toolboxes with a calculated abundance of skills and playing experiences, thus keeping their creativity free of mechanical barriers. In the process, I choose certain methods and directions based on an individual learner’s abilities and preferences. Perhaps most importantly, I know that to be an effective teacher I must remain a humble student, open to all that music has yet to offer me.

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