Inspirations as a musician: Anything and everything, and it always changes! The things and ideas that inspire me one day will be completely different on another day. This also means that there isn’t one single correct way for an audience member to experience music, either!

Favorite food: Rosati’s Pizza in Chicago — I wish they would open a franchise in Cincinnati!

How can the Orchestra make the world a better place? Of course I would love it if each concert inspired the members of our audience to go out and change the world. But on a realistic level, I think that hearing a concert of masterful music gives us a moment of respite from our hectic lives, in which we can focus our minds. Some listeners will focus on the musicians, some will focus on the music itself, and some will simply let their minds wander — all are valid ways to experience a concert. My hope is that, as a result of their experiences here, members of our audience will leave the hall slightly more refreshed, and with a somewhat clearer sense of what to do in the days ahead.