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1 - Who has had the most influence on you (musically)? My elementary and middle school music teachers helped me realize just how much I loved music and pushed me to pursue opportunities that built my skills. In college, my professors helped me understand all the different things choral music (and music in general) could be and gave me pathways to making a musical career a reality for myself. Now, in graduate school, I'm learning all the things a conductor can and should be from people like my advisor Jean-Sébastien Vallée. I've been lucky to have many skilled and generous mentors, none of whom I could ever repay as much as they deserve. 2 - Who is your favourite composer to conduct? This was a tough question to answer, but I'm such a huge fan of L.A. composer Dale Trumbore! She picks gorgeous texts for her pieces and sets them in a way that effortlessly pulls out so much beauty and emotion. Hers is the kind of music that makes a conductor's arms feel weightless and the voice feel unencumbered. Plus, she's originally from near the same place as me, so I think of her as a hometown hero. 3 - What is the most important when preparing to conduct a score? Beyond studying and preparing the musical elements of a score, it's always really important to me to figure out what I want to say with a particular piece of music. I need to know which non-musical elements, emotions, or ideas I want to convey to a choir in rehearsal, and how we can embody them together in the strongest way for our listeners. 4 - Would you rather read the book before the movie or after? I'm the kind of person who likes to know about a movie's plot before watching it, so I'd definitely read the book first. 5 - Are you an early bird or a night owl? As much as I'd like to be an early bird, I find myself more of a night owl!
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