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Michele began playing piano by ear when she was three years old and began lessons at age five. She was very active in her church, First Baptist Church of Vero Beach, Florida, singing in choirs from an early age and accompanying children’s choirs while in elementary school. She became the official church pianist at the age of 14, accompanying the youth choir, the sanctuary choir, and playing piano for every worship service. Michele Murray is an Assistant Professor of Music at Anderson University and holds a Master's degree in Music Theory from Indiana University and a Bachelor's degree in piano performance from Stetson University. She studied piano at Stetson University with Roger Cushman, a student of Tobias Matthay, and at Florida State University with Leonard Mastrogiacomo, and at Indiana University with James Tocco. Before joining the faculty of Anderson University in 1981, she taught piano, music theory, and music history at Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce, Florida. She teaches music theory, aural comprehension, and class piano at Anderson University, and is the Coordinator for Class Piano and Director of the University MIDI Lab. Michele is active as a performer, having performed as a soloist with the Anderson University Concert Band and serving as the pianist for the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. She performs recitals with her husband, Mark Murray, and has given recitals in Florida, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, on college campuses and in churches. In 1998, Michele and Mark released their first compact disc entitled “Slow Waltz for Trumpet and Piano.” In addition to her performing and arranging, Mrs. Murray has received certification for her training to teach the Suzuki piano method and has studied with Ray Landers, Pat Jackson, Nancy Pederson, Haruko Kataoka, Cathy Medley, and Yasuko Joichi. In 1989, she received a scholarship from the SAA to attend the Suzuki Institute in Stevens Point, WI. In 1993, she received a grant from Eli Lilly to study MIDI Applications in the Music Curriculum and attended a conference entitled "Music Technology and the Music Curriculum" at the University of Minnesota in Duluth, MN. In 1994, she received a faculty development grant to attend a workshop entitled "Developing Tools for Teaching" at the Institute for Academic Technology in Durham, NC. From 1996-1998, she served as Administrative Director for the International Music Festival held at Anderson University. In 2000, she received notification that she is listed in the millennium edition of Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. To purchase a piece click on the title.
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Michele Murray began her association with the Fred Bock Music Company in 1983
when Fred Bock offered to publish her hymn arrangements in a piano collection to
be released in 1984. Since that time, she has written two volumes of hymn
arrangements for piano entitled, "Hymns in the Style of the Masters,"
and two volumes of "Christmas Carols in the Style of the Masters"
published by the Fred Bock Music Companies. Her arrangement of I Surrender
All in the style of Debussy is included in the commemorative album, Bock’s
Best Friends, A Tribute to Fred Bock. Her hymn and carol arrangements are based
upon famous classical works with the hymn tune combined with the style set by
the master.
