Mr. Abene is a faculty member in the College for the following department(s) and division(s): Jazz — Composition (College) Telephone  (845) 878-3021 E-mail  giggles@computer.net

Michael Abene is a composer, arranger, keyboard player, and record producer. Michael joined the Maynard Ferguson band while still a teenager and was responsible for writing some of the most requested arrangements such as "Green Dolphin Street,” "Airegin,” "Fox Hunt,” "Chicago,” "Whisper Not,” "Knarf," and "Cherokee.” Michael produced the Grammy-winning projects Digital Duke, featuring the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and The GRP All-Star Big Band-All Blues. He produced the Grammy-nominated GRP All-Star Big Band and The GRP All-Star Big Band Live and received nominations in the arranging category for all three big band records. Other projects he has produced are The GRP Christmas Collection—Volumes 1, 2 and 3 (Volume I was awarded a gold record for sales of 500,000 units), Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown, two projects for Billy Taylor, .....it's a matter of pride and Homage, Maiden Voyage for Nnenna Freelon plus projects for Billy Cobham, Eddie Daniels, and Dave Valentin. Some of the other artists Michael has composed/arranged for are Dave Grusin, for which he received a 1998 Grammy nomination for the arrangement of "America" from Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story; Chick Corea; Buddy Rich; Dizzy Gillespie; the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra; Liza Minnelli; Charles Aznavour; Dave Taylor; Ronnie Cuber; the Metropole Jazz Orchestra in the Netherlands; and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. Michael has also appeared as featured pianist and arranger/composer with the UMO Jazz Orchestra in Helsinki, WDR Big Band in Cologne, the Rotterdam Conservatory Big Band in The Netherlands, Jazz Big Band Graz in Austria, Kluvers Big Band in Denmark, and the BBC Big Band in England. Michael also has produced and arranged for many singers from pop and crossover artists Patti Austin and B.B. King to classic jazz artists Grady Tate, Joe Williams, Chris Connor, New York Voices, and Diane Schuur. Two works of Michael’s were premiered during the summer of 2000. One was a piece for seven trombones that he arranged for the Metropole Jazz Orchestra, where each trombonist contributed an original piece and Michael composed opening and connecting sections that allowed the compositions to be played as a suite. This piece was performed at the International Trombone Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The second composition was an original work commissioned by the Mancini Institute for bass trombonist Dave Taylor and performed by the Mancini Institute Orchestra in Los Angeles, where Michael was composer in residence. Two compositions of Michael’s were premiered in 2003: “Odyssey For Brass,” commissioned and performed by the Metropole Jazz Orchestra; and “Fragmentations,” performed by the RTV Symphony and Big Band of Slovenia. He is currently preparing a number of compositions for both band and orchestra. In the fall of 2003 Michael was appointed musical director, principal composer, and arranger of the WDR Big Band of Cologne, Germany, considered one of the great jazz bands. Because of the response worldwide, Michael has made his compositions and arrangements available to schools and bands and serves as a clinician. Michael joined the faculty of Manhattan School of Music in January 1998. In 2001 he was instrumental along with department head Justin DiCioccio and the late Manny Albam in creating a course entitled “Jazz Composition and Arranging for the Studio Orchestra” and in 2003 creating a doctoral program in jazz. Michael Abene and Jim McNeely are the music directors of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. Manhattan School of Music faculty since 1998.

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