I am a 1996 graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, with a Bachelor's Degree in Music (voice).  While at NCSA, I studied under William Beck, a veteran baritone, and James Allbritten, a rising tenor and choral conductor.  I was heavily involved in operatic, art song, concert and choral singing during my attendance at NCSA.  I was also a Summer Music Composition Scholarship recipient in 1996.  I learned a lot about how to use and defy conventional music theory from my instructors, Lawrence Dillon and Michael Rothkopf, but not very much about personal style.  I developed this later, on my own.

      I returned to NCSA in 1997 to continue studying voice under James Albritten as a special student.   I was hoping to overcome technical problems with consistent tone production and vocal fatigue before moving-on to another teacher, who would undoubtedly have different ideas and methods.  A near-fatal car accident in April, 1997 ended my extra year of study at NCSA prematurely.

      Despite numerous injuries and physical limitations following my accident, I was accepted to, and chose to attend Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  My focus as a graduate student was to improve upon my knowledge of music as a whole, to gain more solo and group performance experience, and to continue working toward seamless vocal tone production with minimal vocal strain.  I found-out -- the hard way -- that being 600 miles from home, in a wheelchair, and faced with the prospect of going to classes (or anywhere, for that matter) in sub-zero weather on a campus that was not up to ADAAG code was too difficult, even for someone as indomitable as I am.  Eventually I was able to leave the wheelchair behind for a pair of canes, then later for a solo walking stick, but life was still very difficult.  Nonetheless, I finished the year, even though I had already realized that a career in performance would never happen for me, due mainly to my physical limitations.

      I returned home in May of 1998 and began working with my father on our world-recognized clipart web site IconBAZAAR.  I did some artistic creation for IconBAZAAR, but mainly I took charge of managing the business' steady influx of email and licensing requests.  I got quite good at drafting legal documents and doing other necessary back-end stuff that no one ever sees on the front page of a web site.  My Dad and I were extremely trusting of other businesses, particularly hosting companies, much to our mutual chagrin.  We have had to move our IconBAZAAR many times, due to lackluster service, lies and broken promises from our hosts.  Right now, however, we are enjoying a bartered hosting arrangement with PerlCoders that seems to suit everyone involved to a "T."

      In 1999, my wife, Sara and I were married.  It was quite arguably one of the best moments of my life.  For my daily bread, I still concentrate mainly on Information and Internet Technology, but I also keep my hand in the music world as much as possible.  I enjoy composing from time to time, singing in and directing my local church choir, and performing locally when the chance arises.  My greatest achievement to date is my daughter, Carolyn Isabel, who was born on Pearl Harbor Day, (December 7th), 2002.  She is my song personified.