Biography
Michael grew up in Northern California and received a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance and a teaching credential from California State University, Sacramento. He began his teaching career in the San Juan Unified School district where he had attended as a child. After teaching at Mesa Verde High School, San Juan High School, and Sylvan Middle School, he decided to return to CSUS to continue his studies under Dr. Jack Foote and work towards a Masters degree. Simultaneous to this, he directed the jazz ensemble at American River College and served as the graduate assistant to the CSUS Marching Musicians marching band.
Throughout the subsequent years, Michael served as the director at Galt High School (California), Barton Community College (Kansas), Graceland University (Iowa), Dickinson State University (North Dakota), Cameron University (Oklahoma), and the University of St. Francis (Illinois). During this, he found time to secure a DMA in saxophone from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, Virginia. While there, he studied under Joe Eckert and Timothy Roberts. He currently serves as the Director of Bands at HLV Community School District in Victor, Iowa. His fantastic wife, Andrea, is a literacy specialist with the Grant Wood Area Education Agency, and they have two sons: Ian is an officer with the Blue Earth County Sheriffs office and Nathan is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Alaska. |
To live is the rarest thing in the world. |