By the time Michael Mogensen (b. 1973) arrived at James Madison University in Virginia to begin his college experience, he very quickly discovered his true passion. After 18 years as primarily an afterthought, music suddenly emerged at the forefront of his life. As a French horn player in both the JMU Wind Symphony and the JMU Symphony Orchestra, Michael’s eyes were opened to an enticing, enchanting world – a world of sophisticated, emotion-filled, interesting and extremely passionate music. And as his enthusiasm continued to grow, he was ready and willing to soak up all the wonderful knowledge available to him. Music Theory, Analysis, and Counterpoint courses soon became his top interest.
His total undergraduate experience formed the basis for what would eventually become his signature composing style – a unique fusion primarily influenced by music from the Romantic Period, the 20th Century, Broadway and Hollywood.
After graduating from JMU, Michael enrolled in graduate school at Ithaca College in New York. He decided it was finally time to study composition formally, and at the ripe old age of 24, he became a composition major at last…
…The years since that time have been filled with musical highlights and milestones, but Michael feels he is just now starting to enter his prime as a composer. His compositions for band and orchestra are published through C. L. Barnhouse, Inc. (www.barnhouse.com) and TRN Music Publisher, Inc. (www.trnmusic.com). He has held positions with Warner Brothers Publications as well as Disney Music Publishing, and has served as an adjudicator, clinician, instructor and guest-conductor for many high school and college level events.
Michael’s works have been presented throughout the world, including performances at the Music Center at Strathmore, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. His commissioned work, AERIAL FANTASY, received a Pulitzer Prize nomination and has been recorded professionally in Japan, as well as here in the USA on the Walking Frog Records CD entitled Toward the North Star (www.walkingfrog.com). Michael was also the recipient of a Masterworks Prize for living composers, granted by ERMMedia. His award-winning orchestral composition, CHAPTER FINÁL, will appear on Volume 17 of the CD Series: “Masterworks of the New Era”.
Michael is honored to be part of the “orchestral revolution” presented by the Orchestra Unleashed.
