Birthplace: The Ocean State
Grew up: Still trying to!
Started playing: Trumpet when my grandparents returned from Italy with a trumpet (age 4), cello from 2nd grand to 8th grade, then started on the bass in 10th grade.
Education: Manhattan School of Music, Bachelor of Music, Juilliard School of Music, Master of Music and lots of help as a youngster from my parents, aunt, youth orchesta conductors and private teachers
Began with CSO: Fall of 1989
Non-CSO Activities: golf, cooking and eating, running and playing in Music on the Hill, playing in the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Peninsula Music Festival, coaching at CMC in Worthington, helping young players grow, hiking/walks, ice skating, investing
Favorite music: Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, most things on WCBE, some 60’s and many 70’s
In my iPod: James Taylor, Mozart and Beethoven chamber works, world/pop/rock mixes
Outside ensembles or groups: I have subbed with the Symphonies of: Detroit, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Alabama, New Jersey, North Carolina and the Chamber Orchestras of: St Paul, ProMusica, New York Virtuosi, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Jupiter Symphony, Lake Placid Symphonietta, Aspen Chamber Symphony
Main Teachers: David Walter (NBC under Toscanini), Eugene Levinson ( Principal of the New York Philharmonic)
When not rehearsing or performing on stage with the CSO, I spend my time... golfing, www.musiconthehillri.com, lending a hand and practicing.
If I had not become a professional musician, I may have become a…golf instructor, chef, financial advisor, camp ground owner, ranger or guide
To unwind, I listen to…the sounds of silence
In the car, I listen to…XM radio and WCBE
My current ring tone is…vibrate
The last book I read was…the phone book, really!
Most people would be surprised to learn that…some cities outside of Columbus raise endowments for their orchestras.
The craziest thing I have ever done is…HA! :))
My dream is…achieved when I help a young bass player accomplish.
The non-musical accomplishment that I am most proud of is…almost shooting par and having some of my Italian dishes taste like my grandmother’s cooking.
What is your guilty pleasure?  Chocolate, dark and flavorful stouts/porters/ales/lagers, red wines and an occasional cigar.
My favorite vacation is…on Block Island, in the Canadian Rockies, Aspen and Grand Tetons, Gaspe Peninsula and to someday golf Scottland. I’d love to visit Bora-Bora too!
The last movie I saw was…in a theater? I can’t even remember!
To prepare for a performance, I…practice, practice, practice and take a nap!
If I could choose to play another instrument, it would be the…golf club
I also play the…radio
My most embarrassing musical moment was…oh, you’ll have to ask me that in person.
An extremely positive musical experience I have had was…Mahler 5 with James DePriest at Avery Fisher Hall, Alexander Schneider conducting the Brahms Double with Yo-Yo Ma and Isaac Stern at Carnegie Hall, Claudio Scimone with the Aspen Chamber Symphony
A profound experience, musical or otherwise, that has shaped or deeply influenced my approach to music would be…learning how to help somebody grow by; learning how to deliver a message, watching others learn and actually learning a new skill
If I could spend a day with any composer, it would be…Mendelssohn
Anything else?
Named Artistic Director of www.musiconthehillri.com in 2007, Bass faculty at Ohio Wesleyan University and was honored with the Ohio String Teachers Association Studio Teacher of the Year Award for 2008