About me

I do a few different things you might have come here looking for. You can click to find landing pages about my work as a journalist, a composer, and a crossword-puzzle constructor. If you want the general picture, here’s a briefer summary of my professional life:

My main career has been in journalism, especially covering the arts, culture, and dining scenes around Chicago. Within those spheres, my most consistent topic has been classical music. I’ve also had regular gigs covering museum exhibits and live events. I co-wrote Chicago magazine’s weekly dining newsletter, Dish, for several years, and had three different weekly arts and culture newsletters at various times for Crain’s Chicago Business. I’ve been freelance since 2011. Before that, I was on the editorial staff of Chicago magazine. Before that, I received a Masters of Science in Journalism focusing on magazines from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, in 2005.

In addition to serving as an observer of the classical-music scene, I’m also a practitioner. Within the classical sphere, I know the most about choral music—most of my composing work involves voices, and I sing baritone in the semiprofessional choir Vox Venti.

As a crossword-puzzle constructor, most of my recent work has been on assignment. Recently I’ve had puzzles appear in the Chicago Sun-Times and National Wildlife magazine. Less recently my work appeared in The Los Angeles Times and The New York Sun.

I live in Chicago with my wife and three children. Outside of these professional pursuits, I cook for pleasure as well as sustenance, read as much as I can, and play competitive bridge with my oldest daughter.