Tell us about yourself, your family, and how you developed an interest in music.

My parents are both amateur musicians—my mom plays flute, my dad, trombone, and both sing in church choir. My mom tells me that I actually started singing recognizable tunes before I could talk. From a very early age, I had a very discriminate taste in music, and I still listen faithfully to the same music I listened to when I was 5 years old. I grew up singing in children and youth choirs, playing viola in orchestra, and playing marimba and timpani in marching band. A career as a musician was unavoidable!

Where did you attend High School and College?

I attended Berkner High School in Richardson and graduated from UNT with a bachelor’s in music, computer science, and a master’s in choral conducting.

You and your wife, Ashley seem to make a great team. How did the two of you meet?

We met in orchestra at Apollo Junior High School in Richardson right after I moved from Baton Rouge. Our families were both members at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson, and our parents sang in the choir. Since we both were in orchestra, band, and church, I started to grow on her… like a fungus. The poor girl never stood a chance. We started dating in high school and got married while we were studying music at UNT. Ashley plays violin and currently teaches orchestra at Blalack Middle School in Carrollton.

What is unique about the FPCD choir?

The choir (and the church in general as well) has a quite a few members who are active or retired missionaries. So, in addition to a wonderful, global perspective, many are students of language and have sung in choir in college. The choir has a wonderful mix of professional and amateur musicians with active theological minds. They are willing to broaden their musical and mental horizons and are overall a great group of people!

What song do you get stuck in your head the most often?

Usually the song that churns around in my head the most is the one I currently am arranging.

You have arranged a fair number of songs for the church. Do you have any idea where the tally currently stands?

Well, I have been at the church for about a year and a half and we have averaged a little more than one of my arrangements every two weeks, so the number is probably approaching a hundred.

How do your arranging skills benefit the Church?

At FPCD, we strive to make worship a cohesive experience. In other words, the music, scriptures, and readings all must reinforce the message of the sermon. We also work to include a wide variety of musical and liturgical styles without compromising our standards of quality. Arranging allows me to pick music that specifically lines up with the message without rifling through countless mediocre church anthems in the music store. In addition, I can tailor the arrangements to augment the gifts and abilities of the choir and represent a multitude of musical styles.

Do you prefer any particular styles when you are arranging? What's the most fun?

I enjoy working in many and various musical styles ranging from baroque fugues to jazz, pop to mariachi, spirituals to Renaissance counterpoint, bluegrass to barbershop, the list goes on and on. Many times I will combine counterintuitive styles into the same piece for interesting results!

What other groups have performed your arrangements?

The Denton Bach Choir, various UNT choirs, and various church and public school choral and instrumental ensembles.

Talk about the upcoming Christmas concert.

Well, since we have spent the last few months studying the book of Genesis, the concert (entitled “…and The Word Became Flesh…”) portrays the birth of Christ as an event ordained by God from the beginning. The concert will feature both familiar and unfamiliar carols and some congregational singing.

Favorite activities away from music?

I enjoy spending time with friends and family, especially when food is involved. I also play racquetball and, if I can afford it, snow skiing.