Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.

I live in Pewaukee with my awesome wife, Kara, our two boys Andrew, Elliot, and our Labradoodle, Zoe.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?

I’ve loved music since I was very little. I started teaching piano lessons to neighborhood kids when I was thirteen, and never stopped because I love it so much! I love being able to work with students for a long time. Many students take lessons for nine or ten years, so building that relationship over so many years is really wonderful. I love composing music for TV shows because it’s something different every week. One week I’m composing epic orchestral music, and the next it’s 8-bit vintage computer music.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?

Casa Tequila and Ichiban Japanese Sushi and Steak House in Sussex.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?

All my life.

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?

I often seek out TV shows and movies based on the music in them. I love shows scored by Natalie Holt who scored Loki and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ludwig Goransen who scored The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Siddhartha Kholsa who scored This is Us and Only Murders in the Building. And of course, Danny Elfman who scored Wednesday, Edward Scissorhands, and too many other films to list!

Q: What advice would you give to people?

Find your passion, and find a way to get paid to use that passion to serve other people. Your job then becomes your calling, and the way you make the world a better place.

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?

I would love to meet Guy Sigsworth. He is the most famous musician you’ve never heard of. I love his compositions, but I also love that many of the musical artists he works with become producers after they work with him. This makes me think that in addition to being a phenomenally talented composer, he is also an excellent teacher.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?

The Lake Country area is consistently rated one of the best places in the country for music education. I am so proud of the excellent music programs in our schools, my many talented colleagues at the Waukesha County Conservatory of Music, and the incredibly talented musicians in the Milwaukee Metro area who I get to collaborate with to record my compositions.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?

Musicians tend to have really long careers. I think a lot of people are motivated to retire to have more time to do the things they really love to do in life, but I’m already doing exactly what I like best. I hope that ten years from now, I’ll still be here in the Lake Country Area, doing what I love to do!

Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

In addition to my involvement in music, I am a martial artist. I hold a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and regularly teach classes in self defense and hand to hand combat at J.K. Lee Lake Country.

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?

I am so pleased with the Pewaukee School District! My kids have had such wonderful, caring teachers, and their teachers have provided them with great opportunities to learn and grow into great people.

Q: Who inspires you to be better?

I love that my students continually challenge me to learn new things about music, about teaching, and they continually inspire me to be better. My publisher, Universal Productions, also inspires me. They do a great job of emphasizing quality over quantity, and of challenging me to step outside of my musical comfort zone.

Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

Family, peace, comfort.