Where were you born and (if different) where did you grow up? Chicago suburbs; San Francisco bay area

Current residence and marital status/family: Roslindale, MA; single

Education: UC Berkeley and Manhattan School of Music

When did you start playing with the VSO? 1989

Other current jobs besides VSO: Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic

Favorite composer: all of them except Delius

Hobbies: cheesemaking, knitting, snark

How did you get started in music? It all started when the alien space craft landed in my elementary school…

Describe a typical day: Get up, play scales, avoid real work, fantasize about cooking projects, practice.

Dream job if not musician: strait-jacket model

Secret ambition: NSFW

Favorite vice: really NSFW

People would be surprised to know that: I had a girl friend in college.

Best advice I ever got: pay attention

Favorite way to spend an evening: reading or baking

Pet peeve: lack of empathy

I’m most proud of: still being alive