Where are you from?
I grew up on Milwaukee’s west side and have lived in the area virtually my whole life.
Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
I graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2006 with a degree in piano performance and music theory. In 2008, I earned a master’s degree in music composition from Truman State University in northeast Missouri.
Tell us a little about your wife, Stacy.
We met at WLC, where she majored in English and theatre; she continues to act, direct, and research productions for area community theaters. Stacy works for Cardinal Stritch University in Enrollment Services. At home she reads a lot and has recently begun to crochet. We were married in June 2007 at St. John’s in Burlington, the congregation Stacy grew up in.
Where do you and Stacy live?
We currently live in western Wauwatosa, but hope to buy a house this summer and are considering the Bay View area.
I know that you work at Grace Downtown. What does your job entail?
I manage the church’s coffee shop, Grace Place. I’m in the shop most weekdays and am responsible for training and scheduling volunteers for the weekends. The mission of Grace Place is to do outreach in Grace’s neighborhood, which has been a unique challenge for the congregation given the commercial and atypical residential area it’s in.
Beginning this past fall, I have been an adjunct music instructor at Wisconsin Lutheran College, where I teach Music Appreciation and Music Composition. I am also a staff accompanist with the Milwaukee Ballet School and play for classes at their Brookfield and Walker’s Point locations. Last but not least, I teach private piano lessons and occasionally accompany worship at Grace and handful of other congregations.
When did you begin playing organ at St. Lucas?
I first played for worship at Saint Lucas in March 2010.
What do you enjoy most about playing organ?
I think the organ is unique among instruments—the parts inside and the sound it makes are basically the same today as over 500 years ago. Just like the human voice, the organ is a wind instrument and capable of expressing numerous subtle variations of tone. Because of these similarities and because it can be played by one person, I believe it is the ideal instrument for leading large groups of people in song, hence its use in churches for so long.
What sorts of music do you listen to these days? (it’s the “what’s on your ipod question”).
I listen to all kinds of music. I’m partial to classical—Brahms is my favorite composer—but I also listen to wide variety of more modern stuff: Johnny Cash, Ella Fitzgerald, and bands like Coldplay and Weezer to name a few. I also like songs from musicals and operettas.
Have you done any composing or arranging?
Last summer and fall, I orchestrated a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, which was performed at WLC this past November. I have a lot of composing and arranging projects that have been in progress for a while.
What other hobbies and interests do you have?
Ever since I was a child, I have liked to cook and experiment in the kitchen. Last year, I got Julia Child’s cookbooks and have been slowly trying out recipes from them. I also like to make up my own recipes. I enjoy reading nonfiction and biographies. And Stacy and I love watching old movies and TV shows.
Anything else that you want to mention?
Stacy and I are close friends with Pastor Gurgel’s daughter, Autumn; she and I studied piano together at WLC and were even business contacts through the coffee shop at Grace.
I’ve felt very blessed to be able to play for worship at St. Lucas for the past year. Everyone is so welcoming and kind. It continues to be a great joy for me.
Stacy and I are expecting our first child in August.
