About Me
I am a composer, pianist, soprano, and music theorist whose work explores experimental concepts, psychological narratives, and the expressive potential of sound. I compose psychologically driven sound worlds where timbre, perception, and emotional memory intersect. My music often emerges from an atonal and post-tonal palette shaped by vivid timbral color, structural clarity, and a deep interest in how listeners perceive and emotionally process sound. I am particularly drawn to the intersection of music, cognitive science, and psychology, and many of my works seek to translate internal emotional states—such as anxiety, ambiguity, and resilience—into musical form.
My compositions have been commissioned and performed internationally across Europe, Asia, and the United States in collaboration with ensembles and soloists including Irvine Arditti, Jenny Lin, newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, MIVOS Quartet, PUBLIQuartet, Transient Canvas, and the American Brass Quintet, among others. I am a recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music category, and my music has received numerous additional awards and competition prizes, resulting in performances at events including the Kaleidoscope MusArt Concert in Miami, the Abundant Silence New Works Concert in Denver, the PUBLIQ Access Showcase Concert in New York City, the Vienna Summer Music Festival, the Valencia International Music Festival, and the Kiev New Music Festival. My piano work Hypochondriasis is published by Abundant Silence, and I have been featured as a guest artist on 91.9 Classical KC’s Sound Currents and KKFI Kansas City Community Radio 90.1 FM’s The Classical Challenge.
In addition to my creative work, I am deeply committed to teaching, research, and mentorship. I bring nearly two decades of collegiate teaching experience in composition, music theory, aural skills, piano, world music, and interdisciplinary music courses. I have taught at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, the State University of New York, Stony Brook, Kansas City Kansas Community College, and Hawkeye Community College. My pedagogical approach emphasizes analytical rigor, creative curiosity, and inclusivity, encouraging students to connect musical structure with expressive intent. My teaching has been recognized with multiple honors, including the TEACH Award (Teaching Excellence and Colleague Honor) and repeated Students’ Choice Teaching Excellence Awards.
As a scholar and educator, I have presented research at the Women Composers Festival of Hartford, the La Frontera International Piano Conference, the Orient/Occident Composer’s Forum in Kyiv, and the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities. I am currently engaged in international residencies exploring interdisciplinary contemporary practice while completing my ongoing project GUMIHO, a two-act opera inspired by Korean folklore and intercultural collaboration.
I earned my B.A. and M.A. from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, and my Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. My primary teachers include Chen Yi, Zhou Long, James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, and Sheila Silver, and I have pursued additional studies with distinguished composers through masterclasses and workshops.
I am a composer, pianist, soprano, and music theorist whose work explores experimental concepts, psychological narratives, and the expressive potential of sound. I compose psychologically driven sound worlds where timbre, perception, and emotional memory intersect. My music often emerges from an atonal and post-tonal palette shaped by vivid timbral color, structural clarity, and a deep interest in how listeners perceive and emotionally process sound. I am particularly drawn to the intersection of music, cognitive science, and psychology, and many of my works seek to translate internal emotional states—such as anxiety, ambiguity, and resilience—into musical form.
My compositions have been commissioned and performed internationally across Europe, Asia, and the United States in collaboration with ensembles and soloists including Irvine Arditti, Jenny Lin, newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, MIVOS Quartet, PUBLIQuartet, Transient Canvas, and the American Brass Quintet, among others. I am a recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music category, and my music has received numerous additional awards and competition prizes, resulting in performances at events including the Kaleidoscope MusArt Concert in Miami, the Abundant Silence New Works Concert in Denver, the PUBLIQ Access Showcase Concert in New York City, the Vienna Summer Music Festival, the Valencia International Music Festival, and the Kiev New Music Festival. My piano work Hypochondriasis is published by Abundant Silence, and I have been featured as a guest artist on 91.9 Classical KC’s Sound Currents and KKFI Kansas City Community Radio 90.1 FM’s The Classical Challenge.
In addition to my creative work, I am deeply committed to teaching, research, and mentorship. I bring nearly two decades of collegiate teaching experience in composition, music theory, aural skills, piano, world music, and interdisciplinary music courses. I have taught at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, the State University of New York, Stony Brook, Kansas City Kansas Community College, and Hawkeye Community College. My pedagogical approach emphasizes analytical rigor, creative curiosity, and inclusivity, encouraging students to connect musical structure with expressive intent. My teaching has been recognized with multiple honors, including the TEACH Award (Teaching Excellence and Colleague Honor) and repeated Students’ Choice Teaching Excellence Awards.
As a scholar and educator, I have presented research at the Women Composers Festival of Hartford, the La Frontera International Piano Conference, the Orient/Occident Composer’s Forum in Kyiv, and the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities. I am currently engaged in international residencies exploring interdisciplinary contemporary practice while completing my ongoing project GUMIHO, a two-act opera inspired by Korean folklore and intercultural collaboration.
I earned my B.A. and M.A. from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, and my Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. My primary teachers include Chen Yi, Zhou Long, James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, and Sheila Silver, and I have pursued additional studies with distinguished composers through masterclasses and workshops.
