Long before the international stages and master’s degrees, my creative journey started with a borrowed video camera, an empty field across the alleyway, and a whole lot of unscripted, goofy imagination. I was just a teenager making things up as I went. But everything truly clicked the moment I fell head-over-heels in love with theater while performing in Into the Woods in high school. That was the definitive spark. From that point on, the arts became my compass. It pushed me to pursue university training, threw me onto tours, carried me across Canada, and eventually took me across the globe to Scotland to earn my master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
What keeps me completely hooked on this life is the beautiful reality that the classroom never actually closes. Whether I am cracking open a new character, stretching into an unfamiliar performance style, or tackling a fresh creative hurdle, this craft keeps me constantly learning. But I know firsthand that nobody builds a life in the arts completely alone. I wouldn’t be here without the incredible mentors who poured into me, challenged me, and anchored my career. Because of them, being that supportive, foundational mentor figure for emerging artists is just as close to my heart as any stage credit.
That exact same spirit of raw exploration and curiosity drives my work behind the piano. When I am writing original musicals, tracking albums, or composing scores, I am motivated by a desire to explore. I love leaning into the real human stuff, taking themes that feel a little jagged, complex, or scary, and finding the way I can make it resonate with an audience. At the end of the day, whether I am under the stage lights, sitting at the writer’s desk, or coaching a student, it is all about building real, honest human connection.
