MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

As an African American musical director, pianist, educator, coach, and creative director, I believe the performing arts are strongest when talented artists from every background have the opportunity to thrive. Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to opening doors for others by creating rehearsal rooms and classrooms where artistic excellence, mentorship, humor, and inclusion go hand in hand. Whether I’m leading a professional cast, coaching a solo artist, or teaching students, I strive to meet people where they are, earn their trust, and help them discover they’re capable of more than they imagined.

My work includes serving as musical director for an all–African American production of Oklahoma!, acclaimed productions of Ain’t Misbehavin’, and A Christmas Carol, as well as accompanying Norm Lewis in concert, including performances at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and performing for Michelle Obama’s Broadway at the White House. For more than two decades, I served as a staff pianist at The Duplex in New York City, accompanying everyone from first-time performers to Broadway veterans. I have extensive experience as a musical director, rehearsal pianist, audition pianist, and coach for productions at every level.

I studied music at Rutgers University, but some of my greatest education has come from decades spent in rehearsal rooms, classrooms, cabarets, and theaters, collaborating with exceptional musical directors, artistic directors, creative directors, educators, and performers whose artistry has shaped my own.

Education has always been central to my work. For many years, I’ve taught at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, developing curriculum and leading musical theater classes for students from young children through adults. During the pandemic, I developed and taught virtual musical theater classes for Harlem School of the Arts, creating engaging online experiences that kept young artists connected to music and performance. I also coach cabaret performers, create custom vocal harmonies and performance material, and help artists discover authentic ways to tell their stories through music.

In 2025, I created an international performance tour featuring a West End cabaret engagement in London, musical theater master classes in Florence, and an evening of piano bar entertainment in Milan. In 2026, I serve as Creative Director and Special Guest Artist for Chanticleer String Quartet’s 50th Anniversary Tour, helping shape not only the music but the overall theatrical experience.

I’m equally at home with traditional musical theater, jazz-influenced scores, pop, soul, gospel, and classic rock, and I’m a strong sight-reader who thrives on collaboration. When a project calls for it, I love connecting the dots—developing custom vocal harmonies, dialogue, transitions, audience interaction, and the overall dramatic arc that transforms a collection of songs into a memorable theatrical experience. My favorite collaborations are the ones where everyone leaves the room feeling they created something better together than any one person could have created alone.