COLLABORATIVE
ARTIST

THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT

Even singing in choir as a kid, I knew I wanted to be the one at the keyboard. I felt at home when I played for church as a middle school student. I loved leading from the keyboard: the energy of song, working with others, and underscoring pivotal moments in the mass moved me. 

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This love of accompanying followed me all the way through school, playing for my peers for contests, auditions, and recitals. And even now as a professional, the highest expression of my musical talent appears when working alongside other gifted artists. 

The life of a keyboardist is especially lonely. The hours in the practice room, the solo travel for concerts, the highly-stressed isolation prior to a recital… It wore on me. Collaborative work has always been more gratifying. Connective. Engaging. The power of artists coming together results in a sum greater than the parts.

And it’s more than even that. I haven’t always loved being a solo performer. I’d rather learn a piece of music with someone because the energy of another always augments my own energy as a performer. Collaborative work taps into the highly sensitive part of my soul, allowing for rich, musically-rewarding performances that create environments for transformation. Understanding breath and musical lines and phrasing through my training as a singer inspired my teaching and fosters more effective support for singers and instrumentalists. 

Working with younger students is a key focus of my musicianship. It’s a deeply rewarding experience to be part of their musical journey. My work with them is informed by my work as a creative coach, helping shift and transform the high stress moments that too often stop passionate and talented artists from pursuing their craft into moments of fun, engaging collaboration. 

Trauma is simply a negative experience that occurs during a heightened emotional state. So, too often, that negative experience during a competition or contest becomes the traumatic incident that shuts down one's true creative calling. I help ensure these pivotal moments send students in an encouraging and supportive direction, building resilience and confidence in the process. 

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve embraced collaboration, not competition, as crucial to our success. Of course, trying to win the audition or actual competition in school often ingrained this competitive idea. And even still, now as adults we get to make different choices. This extends beyond musical partnerships and inspires how we support one another socially and professionally. 

I had a professor who said “there’s always room at the top.” And I decided to believe him, using this mantra to cast out fear and perception of limited opportunities to promote possibility and abundance. This is the core essence of the collaborative spirit.