I have been teaching piano in Sonoma County since I was a teenager in high school.  After leaving for college and then living abroad for a few years, I returned to Santa Rosa where I dabbled with various jobs and quickly realized that teaching piano was what I enjoyed the most.  I currently have a studio of 45 students of all ages and ability levels.  Sharing my love of music, especially classical music, with students and helping them overcome hurdles and accomplish goals through music brings me the joy that makes “work” seem like it is hardly that.  In addition to teaching, I am a personal assistant for a conductor/pianist, and am so excited about my new role with Play it Forward.   

 

I have known Nick since we both took on our first students while we were still students ourselves.  When he and Dave started Play it Forward, I thought that this was the kind of good work our community needed.  Many times I have been presented with situations in which a student couldn’t afford lessons, or didn’t have an instrument to practice on.  As a teacher passionate about what I do, I would do what I needed to make it possible for any student to continue lessons.  

 

After the Tubbs Fire, and seeing so many people lose so much, I realized that I needed to do something to give back.  I organized a fundraiser with another piano teacher and our students to have a Practice-a-Thon and joint recital to benefit Play it Forward.  Since then, I have followed the good work of the organization and now look forward to being part of the team.

 

I hope to help propel Play it Forward into the future by expanding our scholarship program, organizing and distributing instruments to those who need them, and bringing more music to everyone in our community.  Because with music comes connection, harmonies and melodies make up a language we all speak, and we can cross barriers together by playing the music forward.