FAQs

There are a few things that people often ask me about!

1. Are you related to Leslie Parnas?

   Yes! Leslie was my grandfather. It’s impossible to overstate the influence he had on my young musical life, and he even gave me lessons for a short time when I was a teenager.

2. What cello do you play on?

   My cello is a 1981 copy of my grandfather’s Rosette Goffriller. It was built in Cape Cod by Roelof Weertman, who was a friend of the family. Interestingly, he was a Dutch naval engineer who began making instruments when he retired and was impressively prolific in his late-life craft. My first full-size cello was also built by Weertman, a beautiful little instrument with a heart carved into the scroll and named the Christina, after his wife.

3. Where did you go to school?

   I went to Indiana University, where I got an Artist Diploma. I understand how unusual it is to have an Artist Diploma without an undergraduate degree! It’s a long story.

4. Who did you study with?

   My first teacher was Erica Pickhardt, then Ronald Feldman, Peter Wiley, Sharon Robinson, Zuill Bailey and Dr. Melissa Kraut. I also studied chamber music with Jonathan Bass and Peter Serkin.

5. Where did you grow up?

   Upstate New York, near Tanglewood, in a beautiful small town with forests and dirt roads.

6. Why do you do the free lessons?

   A lot of people think I do it as a way to get more students, but that’s not it at all! I love sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired through excellent training, teachers and experience, and it’s very hard to get this kind of information. I consider it a gift to the cello community, who give me so much support. I’ve met some incredible people through doing the lessons, and that in itself is a reward.

7. Who is your favorite composer?

   I wish I could answer this, but I really can’t! Impossible to choose.

8. Do you play any other instruments?

   Kind of! I’ve messed around with piano, guitar and drums, but mostly I sing and have just started casually learning to play electric bass.

9. What strings do you use?

   The classic combo! Larsen A/D and Spirocore G/C.

10. What mics do you use to record?

    Mostly a small inherited collection of low-mid level mics (Studio Projects B3, DPA, Rode M5 pair), but I did invest in an AKG C414. However, I don’t love the sound of it for cello. It seems much better suited to violin and piano. For solo cello, I use the SP B3 and the AKG in mid-side.

11. What DAW do you use to record?

    Ableton Live. Not an obvious choice for recording classical music, but I use it because I also like to do creative music production.

12. Who does the graphic design for your sheet music?

    I do! I’m a hack, but I have fun doing it. I always wished that my sheet music had more fun covers, and now I can make it a reality!