I'm a musician. Primarily a composer (who thinks maybe he should compose less). But also a performer (who wishes he could perform more) and a university composition and theory teacher (with a genuine love of the classroom). I play keyboard instruments—piano, organ, toy piano, carillon (giant bell towers), melodica, accordion—some of them pretty well, some of them less well, all of them with enthusiasm.
Most of the music I have composed was kind of for myself to play, so there's loads of carillon music (largely from my younger days) and organ music (mostly from my not-so-younger days) and piano music (my main focus the last few years). Lately it's been a lot of ragtime-inspired piano pieces, a bit of Scott Joplin hiding behind / poking through layers of other influences I've accumulated over the years (1980s power chords with 1910s syncopation?). But I'm so busy composing I haven't gotten around to learning how to play most of my own music.
I like to write short pretty things as well as long thistly things.
I have also written for orchestra—including a piece that was performed in Beijing (my only trip to that side of the planet so far)—and for chamber groups and for friends that play other instruments, especially saxophone and percussion and violin. And I made a good run with electronic music. I even tried my hand at an electronic ambient album.
As a musician dealing with hyperacusis since 2024, I have had to learn to adapt in the ways I interact with music. It's been an interesting (ie, grueling) road so far, but we're all adaptable, and I'm adapting. See here for more about my hyperacusis journey.
I am happily married to Tammy (who I first met in an organ practice room) with seven amazing children and six quirky backyard chickens.