About

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Michael began playing guitar at the age of ten. He has over five years of experience teaching guitar, as well as performing many styles of music including classical, jazz, rock, pop and country at various venues such as restaurants, bars, festivals, weddings, etc.

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Through the years, Michael has studied with many guitarists from different backgrounds, including some international touring classical guitarists. Michael graduated from Aquinas College with a B.A. in Classical Guitar Performance in 2017. He has studied with Andrew Bergeron and Denis Azabagic and has had lessons with Sharon Isbin, Johannes Moller, Lily Afshar, and Goran Ivanovic. He has also performed in master classes with Nigel North and Colin Davin at the CICGF at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Paul Vondiziano at Hope College.

 

While still early in his performance career, Michael has won a notable amount of awards. He is a 2016 Aquinas College Concerto Competition winner and a three-time Honors Recital recipient. On top of that, Michael won the Outstanding Junior in Music Award (2016) and the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Music Award (2017) from Aquinas College. He is a member of  Conrad Shock + The Noise, who was named Local Spin's Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2016 WYCE Jammie Awards. Conrad Shock + The Noise also won the first annual Walk the Beat- Albion. The Noise's sophomore self-titled album was nominated for "Best Album" at the 2019 Jammie Awards. 

 

Currently, Michael plays lead guitar in August, a modern R&B group, blues/garage rock band Conrad Shock + The Noise, and The Alive Ensemble at St. Gerrard Catholic Church in Lansing, MI. He is also a guitar instructor at School of Rock in East Lansing. Past acts include alternative rock band Long Term Access, acoustic guitar/ vocal duo Eimile and Mike, jazz quartet Like a Bossa, the Aquinas College Jazz Ensemble, and the Aquinas College Guitar Ensemble. 

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