It is to be expected that those in the public eye have rumors being told about them - even for someone with as small a public persona as I have. Recently, I have found that false rumors have started to damage my reputation, even with people I have never met. I am surprised by people's willingness to believe rumors and hearsay, but I know it is now time for me speak up.

Over the years, I have heard many strange rumors about myself and my friends and colleagues in the music business, but recently one rumor has grown too big to ignore any longer.

In 2000 I voluntarily left the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, under no pressure from management, to pursue other career opportunities - solo, chamber, compositional, and educational. I have enjoyed a rich and varied career since then. In 2009, I chose to leave the University of Washington because of budget cuts affecting my hours and benefits. I'm very happy that a dear friend of 25 years has filled this position at UW and is doing a wonderful job. These changes in my career were my choosing and not because of an involuntary termination. If you want to know more details, or compare the truth with what you heard, just ask me.

I have always been a very open, frank, and honest person. I don't believe in passing rumors about people I don't know and situations I was not involved in. I would hope that others would do the same. Please help stop the rumors about me and others.