Michael Atkinson enjoys a multi-faceted career as a hornist, composer,
arranger and conductor in New York.

As Principal Horn of the Knights Chamber Orchestra, he can be heard on
two Sony Classical recordings, and has concertized in the US and
Europe with this ensemble. He has also appeared with the Pittsburgh
Symphony, Washington National Opera, New Jersey Symphony, American
Ballet Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Lukes, Orpheus, Harrisburg
Symphony, Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony
Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra
(principal, 2001-02), New England Symphonic Ensemble, Scandia Symphony
of New York, Prometheus Chamber Orchestra, and the Gotham Symphony
Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Michael has performed with Chamber Music
Society of Lincoln Center, Extension Ensemble,Speculum Musicae,
Fireworks Ensemble, Ensemble Sospeso, Zephyros Winds, Burning River
Brass, and Avatar Brass. He is currently a member of Wind Soloists of
New York.

In commercial genres, Michael has recorded for Hollywood and
independent film projects, television commercials, and numerous video
game soundtracks for Electronic Arts. After holding the principal
horn chair in the orchestra for the 2007-08 revival of Les Miserables
on Broadway, he has played in many other shows including South
Pacific, Wicked, Grey Gardens, Young Frankenstein, West Side Story,
and Phantom of the Opera.

As an educator, Michael served as professor of horn, chamber music and
music literature at Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) from
2004-06. Former undergraduate students have gone on to pursue
graduate studies at Roosevelt University and Carnegie Mellon
University.

Since 2006, Michael has collaborated extensively with prominent
singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. After performing with him on tours
of Europe, Asia and the U.S., Stevens appointed Michael the
conductor/copyist-arranger-editor of his symphonic suite “B.Q.E.,”
which was premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 2007 Next Wave
Festival. Michael also adapted songs from Stevens’ 2001 release
“Enjoy Your Rabbit” for string quartet. Originally premiered at the
2007 Music Now! Festival in Cincinnati by the OSSO quartet, these
works have been recorded and released in October 2009, to critical
acclaim. Michael has collaborated in a similar performer/arranger
capacity with other prominent singer songwriters such as: Shara Worden
(My Brightest Diamond), Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Bryce Dessner (The
National, Clogs), and is currently producing the debut recording of
Gabriel Levine (the Sam Izdat Project). In 2008, Michael’s
composition Trinity was premiered at the Chelsea Art Museum under the
auspices of the Manhattan New Music Project. Concerts of his Duets
for 2 Horns and Piano Quintet (in progress) are planned for early
2010.

A product of the Pittsburgh Public School system, Michael received his
B.M. and M.M. from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Jerome
Ashby and William Purvis.

Website: www.michaelatkinsonmusic.com