Ear Training with Michael J.

I am a professional trumpet player, singer, arranger and educator based in Manayunk within Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born into a musical family in Peoria, IL, I began playing cello at thde age of two, but eventually was drawn to jazz trumpet and voice, while having a keen sense of music theory and piano. I studied music at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and Northwestern University. While at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, I was awarded a FIPSE grant to travel to Brazil and study traditional samba music. While there, I worked as a clinician at Faculdade Cantareira in Brasilia. After CCM, I received my Masters in Jazz Studies from Northwestern University under the tutelage of Victor Goines (tenor saxophonist for Jazz at Lincoln Center) and Brad Mason (Current Musical Director for Blood, Sweat and Tears), during which, I was selected to perform as the “jazz trumpet” chair in part of Disney’s highly selective All American College Band. After graduate school in Evanston, IL, I moved into the heart of the city of Chicago. For 3 years, I played trumpet and sang jazz standards most Thursday evenings at the famous Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, one of Chicago’s oldest jazz clubs. In addition to that, I helped start The Syndicate, my hip-hop brass band that offers a blend of funk, R&B and jazz. I also played with other groups such as Four Star Brass Band, and J-Livi and the Party, which released an album in July of 2016 called “Come and Share My Life," whom I still play with. In addition to playing trumpet, I also am an accomplished classical singer, presently predominantly performing with the Crossing, a Grammy Nominated professional chamber choir conducted by Donald Nally. This 17-18 season, I'm singing with Conspirare, Apollo’s Fire, The Crossing, Vocal Arts Ensemble (Cincinnati), Variant 6, Madison Choral Project, ekmeles (NYC), and Choral Arts Philadelphia. Recently, I made my debut as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Chris Deviney’s “Pat Metheney Concerto.” I love teaching. I go into every lesson with the belief that the student is there to learn; if they weren't interested in learning, they wouldn't be there. Because I have always had diverse musical interests, I create a stress-free atmosphere for my students by allowing them to pursue whatever avenues of music interest them. My degrees may be in Jazz Studies and Performance, but I have extensive experience with Classical and Popular music; I provide a unique perspective and enthusiasm to every student.