Hi, I’m Jay.

About

I’m a music and performing arts educator, songwriter, and audio engineer based in Tokyo, Japan. I currently teach Grades 6–9 Performing Arts (Music and Theater) at Nishimachi International School, and graduate-level advanced music technology for Troy University.

I grew up in a military family, moving through nine schools and a dozen states by the time I turned 18, including a few years at an international school in Seoul, South Korea. Music was something I enjoyed from a young age, but access and quality varied drastically depending on the school I happened to attend. That experience still shapes my work: in classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and studios, I try to build spaces where everyone can find a way into music, theater, and other creative work.

I started my teaching career in the US in 2006, and I’ve taught internationally since 2012, living in Thailand, Portugal, and now Japan. I’m certified by the state of Texas in three subjects: Music, Theater, and Technology Applications, and I hold a Master of Music in Music and Human Learning (ethnomusicology focus) from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Music Education from Troy University.

Most of my career has been focused on supplementing traditional ensembles with offerings like audio production, songwriting, samba and world percussion, and modern rock band. In May 2026, I wrote, directed, and produced an original musical, Paulo and the Noise, which featured a live samba bateria and pit orchestra, and involved over 100 students in Grades 6–9.

I’m also a singer-songwriter with four studio albums on major streaming platforms, most recently The Road. The Heart. The Fire. (2026), a concept album about my first few years living in Japan.