Overview
Music has been a constant alongside my professional work in technology. I perform as a French horn player with regional orchestras and ensembles, and I continue to take the work seriously, not as a side hobby, but as a demanding, collaborative discipline.
At its best, orchestral playing is about preparation, trust, and awareness of the people around you. Those expectations don’t change just because the setting does.
Performance Work
I perform regularly with orchestras and ensembles in a variety of roles, including principal and section positions. The work ranges from standard symphonic repertoire to pops, film music, and special projects.
What matters most to me in performance environments:
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Consistent preparation and reliability
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Listening before leading
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Supporting the ensemble when the moment calls for it
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Showing up ready, regardless of role
Current & Upcoming Performances
This page will maintain a rolling view of upcoming and recent performances as a freelance horn player.
Upcoming Performances:
- July 3, 2026The Symphony of the Mountains (Section)Cumberland Square Park - 200 Lee Street · Bristol, VA — Annual July 4th outdoor Concert, Honoring our Great Nation Come join the celebration – no tickets necessaryDetails
- July 4, 2026The Knoxville Symphony (Section)The Worlds Fair Park · Knoxville, TN — 8:00 pm | World’s Fair Park – Performance Lawn stage This event is free and open to the...Details
- July 17, 2026
- July 18, 2026The Symphony of the Mountains (Section)Allendale Mansion · Kingsport, TN — Summer Tour with Jake Hoot – Concert at Allendale Mansion Details to be updatedDetails
Past Performances:
- May 17, 2026
- May 9, 2026
- April 17, 2026
Musical Background
I studied music with the intention of pursuing a full-time orchestral career and have remained closely connected to that path throughout my life. Over the years, I’ve performed with multiple regional orchestras and festivals, building experience across a wide range of repertoire and performance settings.
Like technology, music rewards patience, repetition, and attention to detail. Progress is rarely dramatic, but it is cumulative.
Why It Still Matters
Maintaining an active musical life alongside a demanding technology career isn’t about balance for its own sake. Music reinforces habits that matter everywhere else: discipline, humility, accountability to a group, and respect for craft.
There’s also a cognitive effect I’ve come to rely on. Performing during, or at the end of, a long technology workday is exhausting in the moment, but it consistently sharpens things afterward. The next day, complex problems feel clearer, decisions feel easier to navigate, and mental noise drops away. The effort carries a cost, but it pays back in focus and perspective.
It’s a reminder that some of the most meaningful improvement doesn’t come from doing less, but from engaging fully in work that demands a different kind of attention—where individual excellence serves something larger than itself.