Teacher Feature: Michael Brown
Piano and Music Theory Teacher at Austin Arts Academy in Austin, Texas.
Meet our Music Teacher: Michael Brown
It was a warm afternoon in December 2021 when I sat down with Michael Brown on the Summer Moon Coffee Bar patio in Steiner, and the time passed quickly as we chatted about his career and what inspires his musical talents and aspirations.
Michael has had a creative outlook on life since he was a child. At one point, he told his parents he wanted to be 3 things: A builder during the day, a mailman in the afternoon and a doctor at night. Michael couldn't recall if there was something he was more serious about, but as you will read, his love of music began at a young age and only time will tell where life will lead you.
Michael began his study of piano at age five while growing up in Houston and his first job was playing piano at church. He remembers driving to church and listening to a bluegrass show on public radio. If he could perform with anyone living or dead, he would choose Bill Monroe, the founder of bluegrass, or to be the keyboard player for Tower of Power.
Michael is a classical- and jazz-trained pianist with a diverse musical background. After originally graduating from the University of Texas and pursuing a career as a geologist, he returned to music full-time and went on to graduate from the University of Miami with a degree in Collaborative Piano Performance.
Along the way, he gained experience as a pianist and piano accompanist in a variety of settings including church, musical theater, classical chamber music, jazz small groups and big bands, and country/ rock/pop bands.
He has also played double bass since his youth, and performed and recorded as a bassist/vocalist with several bluegrass bands while living in California in the early 2000s. During his time in the bluegrass scene, he began playing banjo and guitar as well.
In addition to his personal music activities and college education, he has also completed two teaching certifications in Suzuki method piano teaching. While his teaching method does not follow the Suzuki method strictly, the emphasis this method has on ear training informs his outlook on how students benefit from learning holistically, combining traditional methods of learning to read music with ear training music methodologies.
His education and experience as both a pianist and multi-instrumentalist in a wide variety of musical genres and settings contributes to the type of teacher he is today, giving him a unique, multi-faceted perspective on learning music. Michael originally became interested in teaching music after hearing about schools downgrading music education.
You will notice that Michael strives to understand where each student is coming from in terms of experience, age, and musical aspirations, and aims to provide a perspective on music and on their playing that meets them where they are and helps them discern where they want to go.
He is curious, encouraging, empathetic, and holistic in his approach to teaching. His favorite lesson teacher was his college piano teacher at University of Texas because she was nice but pushed him to another level without being scolding or pushing opinions.
On his way to lessons, Michael likes to listen to upbeat music for inspiration, being mindful that he keeps the volume at an appropriate level so he doesn't bust his eardrums.
When he’s not in lessons, you might find him at home with his shoes kicked off, playing Wordle puzzle games, exercising, drinking coffee, engaging with his dogs and if given the choice- ordering takeout for his wife and himself.
Michael with his wife Laura and their two dogs, Mookie and Elsa.
Outside of Austin Arts Academy, Michael currently performs periodically with a disco band called Boogie Night, and a jazz standards group called the Jazz Antics. The Jazz Antics have occasionally played cocktail hour at One World Theater!
Michael is energized by the fact that teaching lessons makes him a better musician and appreciates the holistic approach to lessons that Austin Arts Academy and its instructors embody. We are so grateful to have Michael on board as one of our teachers that helps change Music lessons from boring or rigid to fun and engaging!
Written by Melissa Wolken
Contributing Writer, Culture Curator, and Admin Team Member
At Austin Arts Academy, we change the way you learn Music, Art, & Dance from rigid or boring to fun and engaging-an experience students will love at any age.
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