I started playing the trumpet when I was in fourth grade at Holy Trinity School and I continued playing through three
years of high school at Bishop Canevin High School and my senior year at Montour High School. While at Montour,
several of my classmates, my band director Mr. Picchi and my trumpet teacher Mr. Vrusk encouraged me to study music in
college to become a music teacher. I attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and earned a degree in Speech Communications
with a concentration in Radio and Television Broadcasting and Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification to teach
Music.
My trumpet teachers include Walter Vrusk whom I studied with in high school and post-college and Dr. Tim Cordell
at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Both men were instrumental in making me the trumpet player and teacher that
I am today. I am very grateful for all they did for me.
During my college years I was a band camp instructor with several bands in Northwestern Pennsylvania and Northeastern
Ohio. Since then, I have served as Assistant Marching Band Director at Carlynton High School and Montour High School,
Director of Bands at Northgate Jr./Sr. High School, Director of Bands and Choral Director at Montour High School, and Marching
Band Director at Sto-Rox High School. This is my eighth year teaching music at Forest Grove. I continue to
be an active musician playing in The Ohio Valley Community Band, The Swinging Bop-Cats Big Band, and The Monaca Cornet Band.
I have also played in and directed several high school musicals at various schools in the area over the years.
As for anyone interested in playing a musical instrument or being a singer, I have this to say: enjoy what you do,
do it as much as you can (this means practice every day), and find a good teacher to give you private lessons. Remember
to do a good warm up every day and work to learn all your scales! The hard work will pay off in the end and will allow
you to enjoy music more than you can ever imagine.
I have four wonderful children. They are Bethany, Jacob, Jessica, and Benjamin. I'll post some pictures when
I get some new ones!
