If you are reading this, you are undoubtedly curious
about my qualifications to teach
and fix. I have been
cultivating my skills for the last 50 years – 43
years as a professional flutist. Upon graduating from
high school in 1968, I auditioned for and was immediately
accepted in The U.S. Army Band at Ft. Myer, VA. I attended
Hartt College of Music and, upon the advice of John Wummer
of the New York Philharmonic, auditioned for and was hired
by The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in 1984. I continue
to serve as a member of that orchestra today. In addition to my
work at The Kennedy Center, I have free-lanced with The American
Camarata for New Music, The Washington Bach Consort, and the
Contemporary Music Forum at The Corcoran.
My interest in becoming a flute mechanic was fueled by memories
of the Los Angeles repair shop my Dad and I frequented before my
lessons with some of that city’s best, including Roger Stevens of the
L.A. Philharmonic and Luella Howard from 20th Century Fox Studios.
While I was still in Hartford, Connecticut I enrolled in a machine shop
course at a local vocational-technical school run by Pratt and Whitney.
This training was to prove invaluable when I moved back to the District of
Columbia in 1976 and worked alongside Robert Sheldon at the Smithsonian;
the late, great oboe maker Paul Covey; and flute-maker David Straubinger.
I learned most of what I know from them. Since 1980, I have been the D.C.
area’s premier repairer of quality flutes and piccolos for the serious player.
I began sharing my knowledge and experience with others as an independent
private teacher in 1974. Since that time, I have taught at Howard
University and currently serve as an adjunct professor at Catholic University
and on the faculty at Suitland High School’s Visual and Performing Arts
Program. A lifelong learner, I began studying voice with Henrietta Lund at
Catholic University in 1997 and have improved considerably my skills as a
tenor. I have found that the ability to sing adds a unique and valuable
dimension to both my playing and my teaching.
My mission and my passion are to share my knowledge and experience with you
and help you become the musician you aspire to be.
Contact me