Michael recently attended and performed at the Atlantic Music Festival in Waterville, ME where he worked with Martin Cannin, Sang Woo Kang and Bruce Brubaker. April of this year saw the premiere of his composition Songs for hotoke, 4 songs set in the Japanese language from 12 haiku performed by baritone David L'Hommdieu and pianist Sara Parkinson at the First Baptist Church in Boulder, CO. On Christmas weekend he will perform in the premiere of his newly composed Songs on text of William Carlos Williams with David L'Hommedieu as well as songs by Ives, Dutilleux, Brahms, Foster and Britten. The concert will be in Jupiter, FL and will feature other faculty members of the Jupiter Academy of Music.
      Michael has a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance as well as a Master of Music degree in Theory/Composition both from the State University of New York at Fredonia - School of Music. While at Fredonia, Michael gave numerous recitals in both solo as well as collaborative efforts with students and faculty. He was not only a much sought after accompanist for student recitals but was also an award-winning composer. In 2004, Michael was awarded the Annual Gamba Award for best composition of the year by a School of Music student for his work Variations for Clarinet and String Quartet. In 2005, the Florestan Recital Project began its residency with SUNY Fredonia and Michael was selected as an accompanist. He also, at this time, worked as the assitant manager to the newly constructed Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall in Mason Hall at SUNY Fredonia while pursuing his double masters degree.
      In the Spring of that same year, along with collaborators Christian Capocaccia and David L'Hommedieu, he produced and performed in a 20th century music concert featuring the works of Copland, Ives, Bartok and Lutoslawski among others. His primary teachers were Sean Duggan and Phyllis East in piano and Karl Boelter and Donald Bohlen in Composition.
      Other teachers Michael has worked with through guest artist visits and master classes include Samuel Adler, Leslie Bassett, Joseph Schwantner, Dana Wilson and Marilynn Shrude at SUNY Fredonia as well as Don Freund and John Beall while attending the Brevard Music Center Composition Program over the summer of 2005. Upon the completion of his degrees after two years of graduate studies, Michael held a private studio of 21 piano students in Columbus, Ohio. While in Ohio, he performed at Graves Piano and Organ and on the Piano Lessons in Your Home, Inc. Concert Series on two occasions. He has performed solo concerts at St. Patrick's Church in Juno Beach as well as the Jupiter Academy of Music in Jupiter, FL, chamber music at the Harriet Himmel Theater in West Palm Beach, at Palm Beach Atlantic University with Jacob DiEdwardo (horn) in sonatas by Beethoven and Hindemith and was featured on Classical Variations with Joanna Marie broadcast on South Florida's public radio, WXEL.
      Michael currently resides in Royal Palm Beach, Florida and holds a private piano studio with over 35 students, teaches several students at the Jupiter Academy of Music and continues to write and perform while enjoying his role as a music educator.
For more information on his compositions please visit the "compositions" page.