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Dr. Michael Caldwell
Dr.
Michael Caldwell is Associate Professor of Music at California State
University, Fresno, where he has served since Fall 2002. He is also the
Director of the award-winning Fresno State Jazz Band "A" and the Clendenin
Brass Quintet. He previously served on the music faculty at the University of
South Alabama (1991-1999) and is Past President of the California Institute for
the Preservation of Jazz (2002-2004). He earned degrees from the University of
Illinois (D.M.A. 1997; M.M. 1987), California State University, Fresno (B.A.,
1984) and Los Medanos College (A.A. 1982). He has performed with the Seattle
Symphony Orchestra and as lead trumpet or soloist with many of the world's leading
entertainers. He has also performed live on Public Radio International and
appeared on the Family Channel. He recently performed with the Ethos Trio in
Mexico City during the summer of 2007, at the 2005 International Association
for Jazz Education (IAJE) conference in Long Beach, California, and served as
an adjudicator for the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Solo Competition, held
at the 2004 ITG Conference in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Caldwell was the Founder
of the National Collegiate Jazz Festival (Mobile, AL) in 1994 and the Executive
Director of the Mobile Jazz Festival from 1992-1995. Dr. Caldwell has
also adjudicated the National Trumpet Competition in Fairfax, Virginia, and has
served on the Board of Directors for the International Trumpet Guild. He was
the Editor of the International Trumpet Guild Journal from 1999-2001. In
addition, he serves on the Board of Governors for Fresno's University High School.
Caldwell is President of the California Music Educators Association--Central Section and recently represented the central section of California at the MENC--National Association for Music Education Centennial Congress and National Assembly in Orlando, Florida. He was also a presenter at the CMEA--Bay Section Winter Conference in 2007. Dr. Caldwell was the director of the 2006 Tulare-Kings Counties High School Honor Jazz Ensemble, 2005 Alabama All-State High School Jazz Band and the 2005 Fresno-Madera Counties Junior High Honor Jazz Ensemble. Dr. Caldwell was also honored as the 2003 FMCMEA Jazz Educator of the Year.
His trumpet studio has recently produced (2005 and 2006) the first-chair High School All-State Band Trumpet Player and the lead trumpet players for both the All-State High School (2005 and 2006) and Collegiate Jazz Bands (2004, 2005 and 2006). The Fresno State Jazz Band "A," under the direction of Dr. Michael Caldwell, performed at the 2007 CMEA State Convention in Ontario and the 2007 California Band Directors Association Conference in Fresno. The group was the only collegiate jazz ensemble selected to perform at either event in 2007.
The 2007 Fresno State Jazz Band "A" had five members selected to perform in the California Collegiate All-State Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band "A" was the second place winner in the College Big Band division at the 2007 Reno Jazz Festival, finishing with a total score of 293 out of 300. They finished second to California State University, East Bay by only two points. In addition, his group produced the Outstanding Overall College Division Performer, Tony Montañez (Drums) and the Outstanding College Division Trumpeter, Josh McDonald.
Caldwell's own teachers have included Dr. Ritchie Clendenin and Ray Sasaki. He is an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma (2003), Kappa Kappa Psi (2005) and Sigma Alpha Iota (1999). Michael also enjoys long distance running and recently completed the New York City Marathon (November 2005), the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon (June 2006) the Lake Tahoe Marathon (September 2006), the Seattle Marathon (November 2006) and the Orange County Marathon (January 2007).