I am Canadian born guitarist and composer based in Hanoi.
As a young musician in Vancouver, I attended Capilano College in the late 90’s before moving to Montreal , and completing an degree in music at Concordia University. I was given insight and direction from notable musicians such as Bill Coon and Remi Bolduc. A close mentorship came from primarily two individuals during these years. Composer and theorist Rosemary Mountain, and guitarist and composer Roddy Elias. I completed a Masters degree in Music for Visual Media from Escola Superiour de Musica de Catalunya in Barcelona, working with, and learning from superb musicians Albert Guinovart and Xavi Capellas, among many outstanding others.
For more than a decade in Montreal I maintained an active schedule of performance, composition, and work in music education. Performance experience included associations with many of Montreal’s finest musicians in settings ranging from Jazz and Experimental music, to Indie and Instrumental Rock. Some notable ensembles were People for Audio, Teen Sleuth and the Freed Cyborg Choir, and Victory Chimes.
Early multi-media compositional activities included works for theatre and dance, as well as experimental video projects. As well as scoring many episodes of the network CTV’s investigative news program First Story, a show dedicated to exploring issues pertinent to the First Nations community of Canada, under producer Pieter Romer.
The role of educator was passed down from a family member, and I began my first consistent work at the Preville Fine Art Centre, in the Montreal suburb of St Lambert. This experience led to numerous other opportunities, and a first introduction to working with children of a young age as a music teacher at Greenfield International Elementary School. In 2012 I was granted a lecturer position at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, teaching performance, composition, history, and research skills.
Further work in the academic field was done at Hong Kong Baptist University as a PhD candidate, teaching music technology. I presently work, and teach, part-time for the United Nations in one of their two schools (the other being in New York), and provide assistance to them for music and art related activities. Of course, when time allows, I occasionally take on private students who wish to further their musical knowledge.
I maintain a strong and positive relationship with my colleagues in the film and commercial world, and frequently work on short format video/film projects, from regions such as Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, and of course, Vietnam.
Outside of music, I have maintained a strong interest in the writings and works of philosophers and thinkers from East Asia. Notably Lao Tzu and the many classic Zen writings from numerous authors. I obtained a minor degree in accompaniment to my music major, focusing on religions of China and Japan, with the primary interests being Taoism and Zen Buddhism.
In addition the majority of my work, much of it being cerebral and artistic in nature, I am a devoted Nak Muay Farang, which translates as “foreign boxer” in the Thai language. I balance my non-physically-demanding profession, with a complete dedication to Muay Thai, which is the boxing of Thailand. A extremely physically demanding form of exercise, it is a journey and an experience that shares many similarities to that of my pursuits as a musician, and between the two of them, the ever growing quest to learn and grow as a human, within the specific art, and in the world in general, I find the two disciplines balance and complete each other to a most beautiful degree.