I love my job. Maybe not every minute of it, but to be playing the greatest music in the world with the talent and artistry of the musicians in the Pittsburgh Symphony and Grant Park Orchestra - on a daily basis - is an honor and privilege I don't take lightly. So how'd I get here? The short answer: I won an audition for each orchestra. But, as any orchestral musician will tell you, there's a lot more to it than that.

First, there's no substitute for practicing. I've spent thousands of hours practicing my instrument, nearly every day learning, refining, or reinforcing some aspect of my playing. And it's a sacrifice - I missed countless hours of play with friends, sleep, and time with my family. But equally important are the teachers and experiences that helped craft my technique, musicianship and discipline. They provided the "what" and "how" to the hours of practicing, making that time useful and productive.

MYA was a key part of my growth in many ways. In school while growing up, it wasn't Fridays I looked forward to, but Saturdays at MYA, where being a music geek wasn't weird, it was taken for granted! I first played most of the standard orchestral - and chamber music - repertoire at MYA, and learned much about ensemble, balance, preparation, dealing with the anxiety of performance, and rehearsal etiquette (even if I didn't always follow it, sorry Dr. Dennis!).

I found a similar immersion at summer festivals - Madeline Island Music Camp, the Waterloo Music Festival in New Jersey, and the National Repertory Orchestra. College at Case Western Reserve University and graduate school at the University of Michigan finally let me fill in those other six days of the week with meaningful musical experiences.

There's also been an element of of luck - in the auditions themselves, many candidates have at least as much experience and love for music. I've also been fortunate along the way to have great, thoughtful teachers, a musical family, and an extremely supportive and understanding wife (MYA alum Kate Massagli).