What motivated you to become a musician?
The love of music my grandma passed on to me.
Do you have any favorite instructors or mentors who played a critical role in your development as a musician?
John Helmich, my violin instructor at Central College, helped show me my true abilities. He pushed me when I didn’t know I needed a push.
Mr. McLellan, my orchestra director from 4th-12th grade, is part of the reason I still play. He helped me grow the love of the violin since the beginning, and I give him major credit for where I stand today in my music career. He was always encouraging.
Did you attend college for your instrument? Do you continue to take lessons?
I went to UNI for a year. I studied music for one semester. After taking music theory, I decided I that I just wanted to continue playing, and switched to elementary education. I continued to play in the UNI Symphony Orchestra, and study under Frederick Halgedahl. After a year at UNI, I transferred to Central College, where I continued to play in their orchestra and study under John Helmich.
Share a little about your family... are you married? Do you have children? Any pets?
I am married to Riley Calhoun. Together, we share two fur babies, Nala (a cat) and Mushu (a Shiba Inu dog). We love going on adventures and experiencing the world. On nice days, we’ll take Mushu for a walk.
What is your favorite...
Food: tacos
Color: purple
Vacation spot: anywhere with mountains or lots of things to do
Animal: otter
TV Show/Movie: TV shows vary from month to month, depending on what’s available or what I’m binging. I tend to stick to Grey’s Anatomy or the Bachelor franchise.
Do you have any words of encouragement for someone who dreams of becoming a musician?
Keep working hard, you won’t always be able to see the progress but when you get to where you’re going, you’ll know you’ve made it.
