Nationality:

American

MEDIA APPLAUSE:

“Jaw-dropping technique.”

— New York Times

Where do you find inspiration to create music?

Inspiration can come from anything and anyone, and even just emotion itself. Particularly when I’m improvising a piece from scratch, how I’m feeling in the moment can have a huge impact on the piece that I compose on the spot, from the key to the “feel” to the emotion itself.  Even in previously-composed pieces by other people, how you interpret it varies day-by-day and even moment-by-moment…which is one of the things that keeps live music so exciting.

Which field outside of music most influences your creative process (art, design, architecture, fashion, film)?

Of these, I think film influences my music-making the most. I am a huge fan of many styles of film music, from Hans Zimmer to Morricone.

Describe a routine you have in place that helps you live a healthier life?

I try to keep many interests outside of music that help with having a “more well-rounded, healthier” life. From doing yard work to finding/doing DIY projects around the house, I have always had interests outside of music that keep me busy. People often assume that I just think about music 24/7, which is just not true. And in terms of listening to music, I rarely listen to classical, but pretty much everything else, from K-pop to the Top 100 hits.

What energizes you in life to keep going, to keep creating?

Music is an incredible outlet and form of expression. In particular, improvisation is like the purest form of music: there are no take-backs, edits, revisions, or anything when you are improvising live. What happens, happens and you must use it and move on. Improvisation is essentially musical emotion at its core.

What is one specific product you highly recommend?

I’m an Apple fan and love tech, so I’ve upgraded our home to be a smart house. From changing the temperature to turning on almost any lights, it can all be done via voice, phone, or switch.  It’s one of those things you don’t think you’ll use much, but if set-up well, walking up/down the stairs and casually having all the lights turn on/off is really convenient!