The view from my Topanga studio.
I ADMIT IT—I’M A MUSIC NERD
I was born into a musical family. My dad was one of the top studio violinists in LA and I studied violin, cello and guitar. My favorite piece of music as a kid was the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Pretty dissonant music for an eight-year-old!
ASKING QUESTIONS TO FIND THE RIGHT EMOTIONS
Then I discovered composing. As a composer, my job is to find out how you want your audience to feel emotionally before I start writing. I never want to assume I know what your vision is so I’ll ask you a lot of questions—sort of like a psychologist figuring out this musical puzzle. Then I can create music that emotionally connects the viewer to the story.
Besides my deep understanding of traditional orchestral music, I also love how technology, samples and computers have added colors, sounds and possibilities to my musical palette and imagination. And the really cool thing is, all those classical theory, harmony and orchestration rules still apply, no matter what sounds I’m composing with.
I’m always composing, either for clients or for my own pure enjoyment. Gotta create!
PASSIONATELY SUPPORTING DIVERSITY
My company is WBENC and WOSB certified, I mentor other composers, and I’m a member of the PMA Diversity committee. Every day I try to move the needle to help prove that talent has no gender, color or ethnicity.
A FEW OF THE CLIENTS I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH…
Nike • Cheerios • Nissan • Lexus • Infiniti • Toyota • Hyundai • VW • Enterprise Rent-A-Car • 7UP • Coca-Cola • Microsoft • Clorox • Invisalign • Philips Sonicare • CALottery • Nestle • EA • DirecTV • Dreyer’s • Kellogg’s • Sempra Energy • Hardee’s • Energizer • Sutter Home Winery • Fetzer Winery • UPS • Foster Farms • United Way • Human Rights USA • Lifetime • Hallmark Channel • Dateline • Animal Planet • ABC • NBC • ESPN • OWN • CNN • Nat Geo • Sonoton • APM
