Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
2023 (expected): University of Oxford, Merton College
MSt (Master of Studies), English Literature (focus on years 1830-1914)
Beginning October 2022
2022 (January): New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
BA, summa cum laude, Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Jazz, Philosophy, and Global Cultures
GPA: 3.98/4.00
2020: Georgetown University, College of Arts and Sciences
Cousework in English Literature and American Musical Culture
GPA: 3.70/4.00
2019: Danish Institute of Study, Copenhagen
Semester-long study with focus in European Literature.
GPA: 3.94/4.00
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
2022: Winner of Hill’s Studio International Composition Competition
Selected as one of ten winners out of 102 entrants for original amplified string quartet piece “Threnody for Two Million Lost Souls.”
Recognition includes the posting of winning pieces on streaming services free of charge.
2022: NYU Gallatin Léo Bronstein Homage Award
From NYU Gallatin website: "Given by the Léo Bronstein Homage Endowment at Gallatin to a student who exemplifies the scholar/artist model of this great teacher, based on outstanding interdisciplinary achievements in the arts."
2022: NYU Gallatin Commencement Ceremony Student Performer
Selected as only student performer from graduating class to perform solo at the Beacon Theatre.
Recognized for overall artistic and academic excellence during undergraduate career.
2021: NYU Gallatin Dean’s Award for Graduating Seniors
Awarded $2,000 in funding for future projects intended to create genre-bending music as a means of exemplifying philosophical ideas regarding cultural confluence, inspired by those of Edouard Glissant and Jacques Derrida, among others.
2021: NYU Gallatin Senior Project Honors
Awarded for interdisciplinary senior thesis titled The Musical Cosmopolitan: How Miles Davis Utilized Cross-Genre Jazz to Elevate the Social Image of the Black Performer.
2021: Finalist for Morton Gould Young Composers Award; ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers)
Recognized for amplified string quartet piece “Threnody for Two Million Lost Souls.”
Selected from a pool of over 500 composers under 30 years old.
2021: NYU Gallatin Dean’s Award for Summer Research
Named one of only ten recipients among pool of undergraduate and graduate student applicants.
Awarded $2,500 summer research grant for self-directed 12-week research project.
Participated in an 8-week fellowship program on research methods and design.
2020-2022: New York University Dean’s List
3.85 GPA Requirement.
Earned in every semester at NYU (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021).
2018, 2019: Georgetown University Second Academic Honors
3.70 GPA Requirement.
Earned in two consecutive semesters (Fall 2018, Spring 2019).
RESEARCH
2021: Independent Researcher, NYU Gallatin; New York NY
Completed Senior Project, a long term honors thesis analyzing the genre-bending works of Miles Davis as elevating the social image of the black performer in America.
Alongside research project, completed accompanying musical piece for tenor saxophone and string quartet which blended idioms of jazz and classical music.
Received honors for overall project excellence.
Advisor: Dr. Brigid Cohen; NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Dept. of Music)
2021: Independent Researcher, NYU Gallatin; New York NY
Recipient of NYU Gallatin Dean’s Award for Summer Research (USD $2,500).
Conducted a long-term research project analyzing the music of European-Jewish composers exiled by the Third Reich vis-á-vis various literary theory, aesthetic philosophy, musicology, and history texts.
Presented research findings as keynote speaker for Gallatin Summer Research Symposium with other award recipients.
TEACHING
2017-2018: Founding Partner, Georgetown Tutoring Group; Washington, DC
Co-created tutoring company aimed at local elementary, middle, and high school students. Worked with other co-founder to create business model, including creation of pricing models, tutoring philosophy, and hiring of tutors.
Created partnership with local K-12 independent schools, Georgetown Day School and National Cathedral School.
Handled logistics of company creation, including obtaining Limited Liability Company certification.
2016-2017: Private Saxophone Teacher, Independent; Los Angeles, CA
Taught local middle schoolers fundamental skills of saxophone performance, including scales, etudes, and arpeggios, building an ample musical vocabulary and an understanding of jazz music.
Taught master classes at Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences’ summer jazz program, helping students improve performance pieces and overall musicianship.
SERVICE TO UNIVERSITY
2022: NYU Gallatin 50th Anniversary Gala at MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) New York City; Performer
Selected as only student performer in ensemble of faculty musicians (all full-time musicians).
2022: NYU Gallatin 4th wAVe Intensive; Alumnus Participant
Selected from competitive pool of student and alumni musician-composers to participate in upcoming week-long collaborative music intensive.
Worked together with a small ensemble to create collaborative audio-visual piece.
Final collaborative work (titled Anthropo Scene) published in NYU-based academic journal, premiered at 2022 NYU Gallatin Arts Festival.
2021: NYU Gallatin Dean’s Team for Recruitment; Student Representative
Served on student panels and conducted one-on-one conversations with prospective NYU Gallatin students to provide information about the school, its various programs, and my experiences as a student.
Moderated Facebook group for newly admitted students.
2020-2021: NYU Steinhardt Faculty of Jazz Performance; Non-Major Jazz Combo Member
Performed four to five new songs every week.
Supervisor: professional jazz bassist and faculty member Ron McClure, known for playing with the Miles Davis Quintet, Keith Jarrett Quartet, and Charles Lloyd Quintet.
Invited to join as group’s only non-full-time conservatory student.
2018-2019: Georgetown Improv Association; Tenor Saxophonist and Musical Arranger
Performed with piano as a house band for nationally-renowned university improvisatory theatre troupe, greeting audience members with music as well as opening and closing the show with various covered and original music.
2017-2019: Georgetown University Jazz Ensemble; First Tenor Saxophone
Performed Jazz orchestra “big band” arrangements of famous jazz songs at various university functions, dedicating multiple hours throughout the week to rehearsal and practice.
2018-2019: Georgetown University Cabaret; Tenor Saxophonist and Musical Arranger
Performed covers of classic rock and pop songs for annual Georgetown student benefit concert.
Wrote and led woodwind/brass section of band through original musical arrangements, rehearsing over 12 hours per week.
Sold out 500-person-capacity venue U Street Music Hall, raising over $7,000 in ticket sales to benefit underprivileged schools in Washington, DC.
2018: “GEMA Rocks!” Tenor Saxophonist, Vocalist, and Musical Arranger
Performed covers of classic rock and pop songs for bi-annual Georgetown alumni-student benefit concert.
Wrote and led woodwind/brass section of band through original musical arrangements, rehearsing over 10 hours per week.
SERVICE TO FIELD OF MUSIC
2014-Present: Musician and Composer, Independent; New York NY
Notable performances include at the Beacon Theatre, MoMA New York City, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Wiltern, Panama Jazz Festival.
Notable recordings of compositions include by members of nationally-renowned Argus Quartet, Emile Blondel, and Christine Cornell.
Notable recordings as saxophonist include with Eric Gabriel, Banana Club.
Dedicate 10+ hours every week for years to practicing and improving instrumental and compositional skills, as well as studying advanced aspects of music theory, such as chromatic harmony and counterpoint.
2019: Summer Intern, Glassnote Records; New York, NY
Gave input on label A&R strategy, including listening to and commenting on unreleased tracks and unsigned artists.
Contributed to weekly label-wide marketing meetings.
Updated streaming numbers for signed artists weekly via Microsoft Excel.
Performed daily office upkeep and shipped out items such as CDs and other promotional items.
Answered office phones.
SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
2021: Legislative Intern, Office of New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson; New York, NY
Conducted large-scale project surveying restaurants with outdoor dining in downtown Manhattan, interviewing restaurant owners and measuring outdoor dining structures, in an effort to test the efficacy of potentially long-term restaurant legislation.
Attended and scribed City Council committee meetings, as well as constituent seminars conducted by various New York City government departments.
Organized and participated in large-scale meal delivery service to various low-income housing communities.
Drafted and edited constituent correspondences and newsletters.
2020: Joe Biden 2020 Campaign Volunteer; Campaign “Moderator Captain;” New York, NY (Remote)
Communicated daily with full-time campaign staff to address and solve technical issues with Slack, dialer, and calling script.
Led boutique office hour Zoom sessions for moderators requiring specialized assistance.
Worked as individualized mentor for 20+ moderators by guiding them through the job process, and monitoring their individual progress.
2020: Campaign Intern, Max Rose for Congress; New York, NY
Audited potential large-sum campaign donors, performing extensive due diligence regarding possible lobbying involvement, donation history, involvement in the pharmaceutical sector, and sexual assault scandal, among others.
Performed same auditing procedure on opposition candidate’s large-sum donors in an effort to expose potentially scandalous contributions.
AFFILIATIONS
University of Oxford, Merton College
NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
American Comparative Literature Association
American Musicological Society
MISCELLANEOUS INTERESTS
Arsenal FC
Dungeons and Dragons
The New York Yankees
Survivor
History
Cooking
Environmentalism
Dogs