I joined Local 802 after being asked to play “Elf: The Musical” at Madison Square Garden. It makes all the sense in the world to be a union member. As many of us know as freelancers, you are your only advocate. But as a union member, you have a whole team of people in your corner. You can count on them to look out for your best interest as a performer and professional. There’s also the opportunity to work with some of the top musicians in New York. Networking and having access to top caliber performers in NYC are only a few of the great benefits of being a union member. I’m proud to call 802 my local! My main goals in NYC are to become a staple in the jazz scene, perform shows on Broadway as both a regular orchestra member and as a sub, and play in chamber music ensembles, including brass quintets, chamber orchestras, opera orchestras, ballet orchestras, and more. I want to experience everything the NYC music scene has to offer. I enjoy leading my own quintet, but also love being a part of other musicians’ groups. To me, the best part of being a musician in New York is getting to collaborate with the greatest musicians in the world. My primary instrument is the trumpet, but I play the entire trumpet family. That includes Bb trumpet, C trumpet, Eb/D trumpet, piccolo trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn. I thoroughly enjoy playing trumpet, but I also compose quite a bit of music. I write for small and large jazz groups, brass quintets and various other ensembles.