Michael Mikulka is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Theory and Composition at Southwestern University. His music has been performed throughout the United States and internationally, including by members of the New York Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, by performance faculty at several universities, by founding members of the Canadian Brass and the Kronos Quartet, and by acclaimed flutist Robert Dick. Michael has been named a winner or finalist 32 times in composition contests and calls for scores.
Michael completed his DMA in
Composition at the University of
Texas, where
he studied with Donald Grantham, Russell Pinkston, and Yevgeniy Sharlat. He completed his MM in Composition at Central
Michigan University, where he studied with David Gillingham, and he received his undergraduate degree in Music Education
from
Rutgers University.
Michael
is a horn player, and he most recently studied with Pat
Hughes. He previously studied with Douglas
Lundeen and Amy Larkey-Emelianoff. While pursuing his doctoral degree, Michael performed as a
member of the University of Texas Wind
Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra,
and Horn
Choir. Michael frequently performs solo and chamber compositions by living composers, including the October 2018 premiere of David Carlton Adams' "Concerto for Horn and Chamber Orchestra". Michael's book A Practical Method for Horn Multiphonics has been widely praised by new music experts and brass pedagogues.
In March of 2013, Michael created New Band Music,
a composer advocacy site which promotes self-published wind ensemble
works written by "emerging" composers for free. He is also the creator and conductor of
the Vine
Orchestra, which was formed in October 2013 and has resulted in
the premiere of over 50 (six-second or less) pieces.
Michael
grew up in rural New Jersey (it exists). After a childhood that consisted
primarily of playing sports and catching literally tens of thousands of fish, he now spends much of his free time cooking,
reading comedy and
science non-fiction, and following intersectional feminists on Twitter. Michael remains a fan of the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox (and whatever team is playing the Yankees).