Making music that leaps from the stage

  • Percussionist

    Engaging audiences with dynamic and innovative performances, blending traditional techniques with contemporary creativity.

  • Narrator

    Bringing stories to life through expressive and captivating narration, enriching musical experiences with compelling storytelling.

  • Hybrid Artist

    Integrating music, theater, and movement to create multifaceted performances that push the boundaries of artistic expression.

I connect with audiences through innovative artistry and storytelling. My goal is to challenge traditional boundaries, inspire fresh perspectives, and cultivate empathy through my performances.

Current Projects

The Fourth Wall

The Fourth Wall is my main company which I co-founded with Hilary Abigana (flute) and C. Neil Parsons (bass trombone) in 2010. The Fourth Wall’s mission is to create programming that engages everyone from elementary school children to classical performance connoisseurs through a new hybrid of the performing arts in which musicians are also actors, dancers, and acrobats. In a theater, breaking the fourth wall brings the world on stage directly into the audience; as an ensemble, The Fourth Wall breaks the barrier between serious art and serious fun.

Our current touring productions are a neo-vaudeville variety show called Fruit Flies Like a Banana and a musical circus spectacular called Without a Net. Fruit Flies has been touring North America since 2013 and we took two versions of it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a 51 show run in 2022. Without a Net premiered at The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival to stellar reviews in 2023 and has since been presented by the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock and The Murphy Theatre!

In addition to performing and creating new work with The Fourth Wall, I also manage the company as our president and CEO, doing all of our finances, grant writing, and administrative work. You can learn more about what I do as an administrator on my Advisor page.

Descended

Descended is a multidisciplinary project that combines chamber music, media art, theater, and film, drawing inspiration from the works of Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904). Starting as a percussionist and accordion player on the album, my role evolved to include co-directing the stage production, acting, mapping and cueing video, designing and running the lights, and coordinating with venues as a production/stage manager.

Collaborating with Hearn’s great-great-grand niece Jean Laurenz on trumpet and vocals and composer Maria Finkelmeier on marimba and percussion, we explore Hearn's macabre stories and interpretations of Japanese ghost tales. This multimedia performance invites audiences to delve into life’s profound questions through a sensory-rich experience.

"Descended" has been a wonderful opportunity to bridge artistic and technical roles, develop new skills, and help guide Jean and Maria’s creative visions. This project is a particularly invigorating merger of my work as an artist and creative advisor!

Narration

As a narrator, I get the opportunity to wield the power of a full symphony orchestra to help tell stories and inspire audiences. Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” is the most iconic example of orchestral narration, and I find fresh joy in this classic story every time I get to perform it with groups like the Columbia Orchestra. My first shows as a narrator were performing Russell Peck's "The Thrill of the Orchestra" with the National Philharmonic, where, over the course of seven years, we reached nearly 100,000 students, offering them an immersive introduction to classical music and teaching them how the different sections of the orchestra make instrumental magic.

My work extends beyond traditional narration to include custom shows I've written for the Newark and Delaware Symphonies. These projects are based on Holst's "The Planets," Copland's "Billy the Kid," and Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite,” tailored to create engaging and educational experiences for young audiences. Collaborating with Kristofer Sanz and the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, I have also developed ambitious programs based on Wagner's Ring Cycle and music from the movie "Stardust," turning epic stories into captivating concerts. I am always excited to explore new collaborations and bring these timeless tales to life with fresh perspectives.

Other Work and Notable Events

Waking the Monster

Waking the Monster (Illuminous Festival 2016) transformed Boston’s most iconic structure - Fenway Park’s Green Monster - into a three story percussion instrument. Beyond playing the show, one of the funnest parts of this project was getting to be part of the initial sound explorations on the building's structure. It’s not every day you get permission to put on your climbing gear, scramble up into a part of baseball history, and bang around on metal beams to discover all their different sounds.

Know No.

Know No. (2017) was a site-specific installation commissioned by the Boston Center for the Arts for their historic Cyclorama. Light, sound, and poetry combined in this thrilling spectacle that invited audiences to explore our complex, emotional and visceral human reactions to denial. Composer and Creative Director, Maria Finkelmeier invited me to be one of four featured percussionists on this project and we later recorded some of the music for her album “A Line that Terminates at the Present”.

Marimba Cabaret

When I first saw Brian Calhoon sing show tunes while playing marimba, I knew he was something special and asked if he’d be interested in creating a show. It was a hesitant yes at first, but shortly after we got to work playing some arrangements together and delving into Brian’s story, he blossomed into a vibrant performer and we created the Marimba Cabaret. This project was a big step for me coming into my own as a creative advisor, drawing inspiration from all the shows I’ve seen over many years on the Fringe festival circuit to help cultivate another performer’s unique voice. Brian is now an owner of the Brasswood Inn in Provincetown, so we don’t perform together as often as we used to, but we still try to share some songs anytime I’m out on the Cape.

Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band

I joined Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band (ENSMB) in 2023 for the chance to have a lot of fun bashing away on drums with one of New England’s premiere HONK! bands. ENSMB is a joyful cacophony of Balkan, Klezmer and funk, with a tasteful thrash of metal thrown in for good measure. In addition to drumming with the band, I also occasionally serve as music director for gigs.