Share with us some of your professional accomplishments.

* I was full time interim Principal tuba in the New York Philharmonic for 3 seasons. 2001-2004.

* My brass quintet (Saturday Brass) was one of only 2 brass groups in over 35 years to win the prestigious Walter W. Naumburg chamber music prize.

* I teach at 5 colleges: The Manhattan School of Music, The Juilliard School, New York University, Montclair State University and SUNY Stonybrook.       

And now Luzerne Music Center!

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What excites you about Luzerne Music Center?

I'm excited about the beautiful location and campus, and being around and working with focused, talented young people.

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What can campers expect to learn while working with you this summer?

They will learn not only how to express themselves musically, but by studying with me they will learn about the classical music world as a whole, and how they can be a part of it. They will learn how to refine their ears and be great listeners and team players.

Share with us some of your professional accomplishments.

I’ve had the privilege to play with The Cleveland Orchestra and being an Associate Member for Civic Orchestra of Chicago. I was honored to give a guest doctoral recital at Northwestern Bienen School of Music and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. I am on track to be the first tuba player in my home country, Costa Rica, to get a doctorate in tuba performance. I commissioned and premiered the first unaccompanied work for tuba by a Costa Rican composer. I’m currently working on a CD that will feature horn, tuba and piano, with two commissioned works for this ensemble.

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What excites you about Luzerne Music Center?

Luzerne Music Center has the unique feature of being able to give very personalized and crafted music education to young students in a more personalized environment than other music festivals. Students also have access to world class musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra and from other parts of the country. The camp is the right size that students will always have access to opportunities to play and share their musical progress with their peers, while also having enough recreation time, mentoring a healthy balanced life. I believe it’s the perfect environment for young students to enhance their personal and musical growth.

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What can campers expect to learn while working with you this summer?

It’s all about YOU! We will work on any area of interest that you may have and find paths to develop and strengthen those areas necessary to pursue a career in music. We will also be exploring careers tuba players can enjoy, other than orchestra and band, and find which ones you like the most. We will be working on having an efficient practice time and learning to be goal oriented to develop deliberate practice while also learning fun and challenging repertoire.