“I decided to study with Donald Schleicher at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I met my wife. She and I spent a few years apart while I worked with a few orchestras in France; I then returned to the US and to do a graduate performance diploma at the Peabody Institute with Gustav Meier. His teaching was really interesting but I hated the atmosphere, the pushiness of some conducting students, the lack of commitment of the school toward its conducting students.
“I then worked with a couple of orchestras around Washington DC and also in France, but finally decided to go back to school for a DMA. I was growing more interested in an academic career because I’ve always thrived on the enthusiasm of students. I find them refreshing and inspiring.