Tom's Bio

Tom began playing music, by ear, on an old player piano (the player parts didn't work any longer) his father had purchased when he was 4 years old. Piano lessons proved too tedious for one playing by ear, so he migrated to Ukulele at age 5. Switching later to tenor guitar, he played rhythm guitar for a studio band, made up of kids taking lessons from the same music studio he was studying at. He learned a little classical guitar, but soon gave that up for the trombone.

As a trombone player, he joined the "senior band" in 8th grade (marching band included), and by 9th grade, was playing in not only the marching band, but the pep band, orchestra, theater orchestra, brass quintet and jazz band. One summer session at the University of Miami School of Music at age 14 furthered his development.  He did some arranging of music, and taught a fellow trombone student, who later became a professional musician.  

As high school ended, so did his involvement in music, save for a few lessons in acoustic guitar in his early 20's, playing a few Scott Joplin rags on piano and playing guitar on occasion for his children.  Music laid in the proverbial dustbin until 2014.

The genesis of Tom's "flute journey" came in the spring of 2014. Then touring northern Arizona with his wife, they had hired a Navajo guide to take them to places in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (on the Navajo Reservation) that they'd not be able to see otherwise. While stopped at some ruins, one of the residents of the Canyon was playing a Native American Flute, and it was enchanting to say the least. He looked at his wife and said, "I have to learn how to do that!" One month later, Tom had his first flute, and the journey had begun.

Later on, he hooked up with the local Flute Circle, then started taking lessons and going to Fluting "Schools" and gatherings, learning more about playing and later, about recording music.  While helping fellow flutists to play challenging scores in 2016, it was suggested that he teach, a phase that began in November of that year.  Composing music had long been something he wanted to do, and so it began in 2016, composing songs for the Native American Style Flute.  

Today, Tom is the  host of the Mile High Flute Circle, gives private lessons in Native American Style Flute for beginner and intermediate players,  teaches similar classes at a local adult education facility.