Michael Stephenson - soprano saxophone

Michael Stephenson has been in New Century Saxophone Quartet for over 20 years.  He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts where he was a student of James Houlik. He received his Master of Music degree from Ithaca College where he was a student of Steven Mauk. From 1988-92, Michael was a Visiting Artist at Randolph and Pitt Community Colleges. As a Visiting Artist, Michael performed over 400 concerts across North Carolina, as well as at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. As an orchestral saxophonist he has appeared with the North Carolina, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Western Piedmont Symphonies.

Michael and his wife Cheryl founded the Music Academy of Eastern Carolina (MAEC) in 1997 in their hometown of Greenville, North Carolina. MAEC is a nonprofit community music school offering music instruction on band and orchestral instruments including piano, voice, and guitar.  Michael has been the Instructor of Music at Vance-Granville Community College since 2008.  As part of his duties he directs the Vance-Granville Community Band, performs solo concerts in the region, teaches music classes, and is responsible for most musical activities on campus.  Michael was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Faculty Member of the Year in 2009, and was one of the top nine Community College Instructors in the State of North Carolina for the same year.  In addition to his duties at Vance-Granville, Michael is also the Saxophone Professor at NC A&T University.

E-mail: michael@newcenturysax.com