1975, Noblestown Road, Crafton area of Pittsburgh. I was 15. Tedd Laury was listening to Roundabout by YES. I was both amazed and mesmerized. I began to visit Tedd frequently wanting to hear more. I listened to not only YES but also Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Kansas, Genesis.

This was not just Rock music. This was a mix of styles; Rock and Classical, Rock and Jazz, Blues and Classical. This was 70’s Progressive Rock and it grabbed me by the collar! I started buying albums and would spend hours listening, learning, investigating other styles.

To this day there is never a dull moment with this music. It inspired my to learn to play multiple instruments, learn music theory, and lit the fire to compose my own music. Along the way I have had the opportunity to study at Berklee College Of Music. There I earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition. I also studied composition at Carnegie Mellon School of Music where I earned a Master of Music degree.

Looking back over the years I can say with certainty; I did not choose music, it chose me…