Michael

Certified Tutor

I have been a musician since the age of eight years.

My first significant work as a professional musician was at age fifteen with The Wayne Newton Orchestra, as well as leading a jazz group with the notable saxophonist Ronny Laws, James Morton-drums (Mel Bay Publications distinguished author), and Joe Dunn-Bass (all four of us were colleagues at and graduates of Robert E. Lee High School, Houston, Texas).

I am a GRAMMY nominated arranger, a nationally honored music educator, having, among other honors, a personal commendation from Rod Paige, former United States Secretary of Education, a nationally honored composer with a lifetime achievement award for composition from the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), as well as an internationally acclaimed performer, having traveled around the world several times with Princess Cruises on the original "Love Boat" as well as many other of the company's luxury cruise ships, and for five years with Carnival Cruise Lines.
I have over twelve years of teaching experience as an assigned teacher and Department Chairman, in both Public and Private Schools, and have earned many honors and distinctions for my work. I have also several years as both a day-to-day substitute teacher and as a full-time substitute teacher, and several years of private and small group teaching.

I have written compositions, arrangements, and orchestrations for performance and recording, for many artists and groups both in the United States, and internationally; have composed, performed and recorded a Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra, and have had an original opera "An Incident in Haiti" performed, and filmed.

The first notable performance of an original composition was "Camus' Blues" in concert with a quintet led by jazz great Phil Woods, featuring me on piano at age seventeen.

I have been intimately involved with the Chicago, and International Latin American Music scene and have contracted musicians and performed as Principal Trombone Arranger and Music Director in several Chicago local Latin Orchestras, and the orchestras of international stars such as Anthony Cruz, Luisito Carrion, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, spent a year in Mexico City as an "in house musician" at the landmark Teatro Blanquita with the Cuco Valtierra Orchestra, as well as with the Orchestra of movie actress and comedian Carmen Salinas, have appeared twice on the popular internationally telecast show "Siempre en Domingo," as well as recording for Mexican National Television soundtracks.

I have worked in almost every conceivable type of music situation including, Barnum and Bailey Circus, Ice Capades, Disney on Ice, Six Flags Astroworld Theme Park, Symphonic Orchestras and Ensembles, Rock Bands, Jazz Orchestras and Combos, to name a few, and with artists such as Teo Macero, William Warfield, Nancy Wilson, Yul Bryner, Robert Goulet, Mickey Rooney, Juliet Prouse, Anna Marie Alberghetti, and more.

My trombone teachers include Roger Smith former principal trombonist from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Co-conductor/Solo Euphonium: The Goldman Band; Ralph Liese and Dr. Albert Lube formerly with The Houston Symphony Orchestra; Frank Crisafuli and Edward Kleinhammer formerly with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and jazz musicians such as Phil Woods, and his colleagues from the New York recording studios.

I am passionate about educating young and old and in-between in the Art of Music and its invaluable role in the life of a vibrant forward moving society.