In elementary school I started playing classical violin; under the expert tutelage of Van Kaynor I made the jump to fiddle in 10th grade. Shortly thereafter I began to play for Contra and English dances around Amherst, and at age seventeen I composed my first fiddle tune (which, believe it or not, is here, on this very web site!).

When I finished high school I made a quick escape from New England and headed off to Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. There I embarked on a course of study in Political Science and Biology, becoming interested in international development, race and racism, post-colonial theory, the politics and biology of sustainable agriculture, computer technical support, Ultimate Frisbee, coffee, and a whole host of other things. At the same time I became a member of Flying Fingers, the college's traditional music ensemble. I continued to perform for contra dances and compose tunes, and started playing and listening to a lot more Irish music. This combination of styles is still evident in my playing today.

After graduating from Macalester in 2001 I headed off for a two month tour with my good friends Megan, Lia and Sara. We performed as "The Barefoot Four" in schools, pubs, Camphill communities, and on random street corners in Ireland, the U.K. and continental Europe. I enjoyed the trip so much that I decided to shun gainful employment in a field related to my educational experience and focus instead on life as a musician.

Since then, I made my way from St. Paul to Boston, and eventually to Vermont. I now live with my partner Anna Patton in Brattleboro. This crunchy little town sports a thriving artistic and musical community, a great food Coop, a zillion little cafes and is a darn good place to live. You should move here! When not fiddling the night away at a local (or not-so-local) dance, I spend my time teaching fiddle lessons, tromping through the Green Mountains, gardening, cooking and eating.