Profile:Michael Andrew Newell

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Michael Andrew Newell is an active musician, sought after as a composer, arranger, instructor, audio engineer, and performer. Michael has written music for jazz ensembles, marching bands, concert bands, and chamber ensembles over the years. He currently resides as a member of the United States Marine Corps Band stationed in Albany, Georgia.

Early Career

Michael began re-arranging common jazz tunes he played in middle school jazz bands into his own arrangements at the age of 12. This originally began as a hobby, mostly getting together with fellow school mates and playing some tunes. Eventually, Michael would pick up more instruments and learn its boundaries within his compositions. At 14, he began to learn piano and at 16 where he joined into a rock band playing guitar, which greatly expounded his compositional abilities. Michael began writing original compositions and arrangements for his high school concert, marching, and jazz bands, and wrote for families of instruments (mostly wood winds).

Freelance Consumer Era

In 2004, after high school, Michael attended Tallahassee Community College, with the intention of transferring to Florida State University. He was offered a permanent position with local big band era dance band, Tallahassee Swing [www.tallahasseeswing.com]. Michael was concerned with playing music at local bars, jazz clubs, eating establishments, coffee shops, and local events, often performing original compositions alongside a host of arrangements. In late 2005, he decided to enlist in the United States Marine Corps as a Marine Bandsman.

Marine Corps and Beyond

Michael joined the United States Marine Corps in January 2006, completed recruit training in August, and earned the title of Marine. In 2007, he joined the Albany Marine Band, of Albany, Georgia, as a full-time musician where he currently maintains position of Assistant Small Ensemble Leader and Audio Engineer/Technician. He composes and arranges for a variety of ensembles including brass band, show band, woodwind quintet, brass quintet, saxophone quartet, and concert band. Michael maintains an intense performance schedule around the United States with the organization. Michael also works as a freelance composer outside of the Marine Corps writing music for his alma mater as well as writing his own material for a self-produced album due out in early 2012.

Education

Michael has had professional musical training since 1998 in the areas of saxophone, flute, and clarinet and studied primarily with Tom Moulton. He attended Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee, Florida, taught by Mike German, and piloted the Advanced Placement Music Theory program at his school. He graduated from the Armed Forces School of Music with a Music Performance Certificate in 2007 and graduated from the Sound Reinforcement Technician Course in 2008. He is currently pursuing his Associates Degree in Business Administration from Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Extracurricular

In his free time, Michael enjoys reading, writing, drawing, rock climbing, taking road trips, and frequenting local coffee shops and supporting local business. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Bethany.

Compositional Style

Originally very specific to the development of his jazz composition style, he has taken that style to produce more contemporary works for concert band and marching band in regards to counterpoint, orchestration, chords, and thematic elements. He regards melody not necessarily in a 'singable' line but in the movement of chords or motifs. He believes chordal movement sways the listener much more than a simple or even a complex melody. The tambres created help make the musical experience a whole body experience. Essentially, there is a physical, emotional, and psychological event to music.

List of Compositions

Wind Ensemble
November |2010 | 5'
Shades of Grey | 2010 | 4'
Beyond the Sun | 2010 | 5'
Opus. 3 | 2009 | 7'
Sailor's Tale | 2006 | 5'

Jazz Combo
Unsigned | 2008 | trumpet, vibraphone, bass, drums

Saxophone Quartets (2 alto, tenor, baritone OR soprano, alto, tenor baritone)

Nevada Rex | 2007 | 3'
Uptight | 2004 | 4'

Solos
Fantasia for Clarinet | 2008 | 3'

Contact

Michael's Website: [1]
Michael's Twitter: [2]
Michae's Facebook: [3]

Profile:Michael Andrew Newell

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