Michael teaches and mentors on trombone and guitar, and assists in the Tunebugs program (helping provide early music exposure to children), Sunday Hymn Sings and Song Swaps. He led the Ensemble group over the summer. He is very interested in arranging music for groups using computer programs and is organizing the Foundry Hall Printed Page Players, a reader’s theater with soundtrack and sound samples. He also plays valve trombone, baritone, tuba, piano, is a passionate singer/songwriter/arranger of secular and non-secular instrumental and vocal music, a piano tuner in training and life-long learner.
Michael directs the South Haven Area Men’s Chorus, is a trombonist with the Southshore Concert Band, Southshore Big Band, Moonlighters Big Band, and in his seventh season as a trombonist, vocalist and emcee of our historic Casco Band.
Transplanted to California, Texas, Ohio and back, with an Associates Degree and many years background in radio broadcasting, production, directing and voice acting, Michael credits quality exposure in his youth right here in South Haven, where there was great support for music with legendary teachers, including Michael Listiak, Robert Boerma, Robert Warren, John Bright, Lorraine Nook and Roger Dehn. Thanks in large part to our community’s support, Mr. Dehn’s honored Vienna choir in 1973 provided a once-in-lifetime experience of high level performances across Austria.
Over the years Michael has been active with Christian and community choirs, local bands, pit crews and mission orchestras (which took him to Negoya, Japan and Amman Jordan, where he helped mentor trombone students under conductor and professional Nashville Christian music arranger Camp Kirkland).
