A bit about our directors-
Mr. Jack Mike-
John (Jack) Mike completed a Bachelor of Music Degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1971. While at CIM he studied trumpet with Bernard Adelstein (1st trumpet, Cleveland Orchestra) and conducting with James Levine (Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera Company, New York).
While in Cleveland, he performed with the University Circle, Cleveland Concert and Philharmonic Orchestras. Later, while teaching in Michigan, Mr. Mike earned a Masters Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University.
As a professional trumpet player, Mr. Mike has had a varied experience performing with Red Skelton, Bob Hope, the Lennon Sisters, The Temptations, Nancy Wilson, B.J. Thomas Shows, the Barnum and Bailey Circus Band, and various jazz ensembles and big bands in the Boston and Lansing areas.
Mr. Mike’s teaching experience began in Carlisle, Massachusetts as a general music and instrumental instructor, grades K-8. He also taught in the Framingham, Nantick and the Brookline Public Schools. In 1978, he began teaching in the Lansing School District as a general music and instrumental instructor. In 1981, he was appointed Director of bands at Lansing Eastern High School. In 1990-1993, he was Band and Choir Director for Hartland High School. In 1994, he returned to the Lansing School District as an elementary band instructor until retirement in June 2005. From 1995 to 2005, Mr. Mike was Co-Conductor of the Lansing Junior Symphony. In the summer of 2005, he co-founded the Mid-Michigan Youth Symphony.
Mr. David Rosin-
David Rosin is very active as an educator and professional musician. He is currently teaching in the East Lansing Public Schools as the High School and Middle School orchestra teacher. Before coming to East Lansing, David taught for ten years in the Lansing and Waverly school systems. Recently, David has joined the faculty as a conductor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and he is the co-conductor/founder of the Mid-Michigan Youth Orchestra. David holds both a BA and a MA in Music Education from Michigan State University. Furthermore, he works as a guest clinician and judge for the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA).
When he is not teaching, David keeps busy working as a freelance double bassist. He has performed all over the Mid-West and in Australia. In 1997, he toured Australia with the Andrew Speight quartet. While in Australia, the quartet recorded a CD for the Australian Broadcasting Company. The recording was released in 1998, and it won the Australian Recoding Industry Award (ARIA) for Best Jazz Album. In 1995, David was a finalist in the International Society of Bassists (ISB) jazz competition.
On the jazz scene, David has performed concerts with many top jazz artists including; Wycliff Gordon, Barry Harris, Bobby Watson, Charles Mcpherson, Wes Anderson, Victor Goins, Claudio Roditi, Greg Abate, Kareem Riggins, Gerald Cleaver, Ali Jackson, and Arron Goldberg. He performs regularly with Michigan jazz greats including Marcus Belgrave, Larry Nozero, Tad Weed, Gary Schunk, Rick Roe, Terry Lower, Donald Walden, Rob Smith, Diego Rivera and Randy Gelispie.
Dave's other performances include three concerts with the legendary Chuck Berry. He has also played for traveling Broadway shows at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts in East Lansing, Michigan. These include: 'Beauty and the Beas't, 'Ragtime', Barry Manilow's 'Copacabana', 'Titanic', 'South Pacific', 'Kiss Me Kate', and Julie Andrew's 'The Boyfriend' .
David's orchestral experience includes three years as a section player in the Midland Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he is a substitute member of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra, and the Lansing Symphony Big Band.
David can be heard on the following recordings: Andrew Speight's Australian release for ABC/EMI 'Andrew Speight Quartet;' the U.S. release 'Speight', Ray Kamalays 'Meet Me Where They Play the Blues,' Terry Lower's 'Four Trios, Volume 1 and 2', and The Fred Knapp Trio's 'The music of Gershwin'; 'The music of Cole Porter'; 'More Happy Jazz,' and 'Standards and More, Vol. 1.'
