As director of Griffyn, Michael has an incredible knack for applying his passion for pretty much anything (and everything) to musical form: From Rugby League to astronomy; Melanesian society to American popular culture; and economic theory to his home town of Canberra.  It will thus be of little surprise that Michael’s background is in composition (with works performed by ensembles across Australia and the world) and anthropology (a published researcher in the interdisciplinary area of composition-anthropologist-linguistics). You will also see Michael play a host of plucked string instruments in a Griffyn concert (bouzoukis, mandolins, guitars), as well as Griffyn performing many of his own compositions.

Michael has lectured in tertiary composition at the Australian National University School of Music, and has made presentations on youth musical advocacy in places as far flung as Jinan (China), Istanbul (Turkey), and Tallinn (Estonia).  The local Rugby League community is also a big part of Michael’s life, having played and coached for the Gungahlin Bulls in the Canberra Raiders Cup.  You can find out more about Michael’s music and activity at his website here.  Michael is also Artistic Director, Education for Musica Viva Australia.