About

My name is Avery, and I am a third-year student at Harvard University from New Jersey double concentrating in Statistics and Computer Science. I currently engage in composition through the Harvard Composer's Association, where I write and record pieces throughout the college semester with the help of student musicians at the New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music.

However, my  journey into composition began during the Covid pandemic in 2020, in the midst of isolation. While watching movies such as Totoro with my little sisters Eden and Phoebe, I was drawn to Studio Ghibli music. At the same time, I took piano lessons over Zoom and independently trying to work my way through Chopin's nocturnes. All of these influences led me to begin creating my own unique music, starting as simple melodies on the piano, and later developing into formal sheet music. It was during the pandemic that I composed my first piece, Winter Colors for bassoon and piano. This is when I began to lean on composition as a way to connect to myself and hopefully others.

After developing my skills and expanding my portfolio to include a greater variety of ensembles (including solo piano, a full orchestra, and a wind quintet), I decided to put on a benefit concert for my local community of Glen Ridge, inviting the entire town to listen to the pieces I had composed. The concert was my way of sharing my music to friends, family, and strangers, and I felt as though the whole community was closer together after the performance.

From the beginning, I was fortunate enough to work with my piano teacher, composer and professor Amanda Harberg. I furthered my formal composition studies during my summers at Interlochen and Brevard Music Centers. Here, I gained valuable experiences working with performers and composers which gave me insight and depth to my work.