I began playing the trumpet in seventh grade at the newly opened Paul Revere Junior High School in Brentwood. It was, I admit, a strategic decision—I hoped to catch the attention of a boy in the trumpet section. He never noticed me until I was assigned to a chair ahead of him, and then he never spoke to me again! Still, I stayed with the trumpet and went on to play in the bands and orchestras at University High School, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.

My summers during high school were spent at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, a formative experience that broadened my musical world and introduced me to lifelong friends—some of whom became professional musicians. Among the campers was a young oboist who would later become a world-renowned conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.

After earning my B.A. in Music from UC Berkeley, I returned to UCLA to complete a teaching credential and continued my trumpet studies with Robert DiVall, principal trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I had the privilege of performing in the UCLA Orchestra under Lukas Foss, in operas conducted by Jan Popper, and in choral programs led by Roger Wagner—all of which deepened my appreciation for collaboration and artistry.

In 1967, I began teaching instrumental music in the Los Angeles Unified School District, with my first post as band and orchestra director at Mark Twain Junior High School. There, I met Joel Lish, a fellow educator and musician who had recently founded a new community orchestra in Pacific Palisades. He invited several of us teachers to join, and that marked the beginning of my long and happy association with the Palisades Symphony.

Over the years, I’ve stepped away and returned several times, but the Symphony has always felt like home. Somewhere along the way, I transitioned from trumpet to the more mellow-sounding French horn—a decision Joel accepted without hesitation, even as I discovered how challenging the horn could be!

The Palisades Symphony has remained an essential and joyful part of my musical life. Like so many others, I deeply miss Joel Lish and remain grateful for his friendship, mentorship, and for the musical community he built that continues to enrich all of us.