PRESS

BIO OF MIKE TITLEBAUM

Mike Titlebaum and his friends make music.

Why make MUSIC? Well, BECAUSE...  MUSIC!

Music Because Music is rich with uplifting grooves, inspiring tales, colorful characters, and beautiful melodies, all performed by the most amazing musicians in the whole dang country.

During daytime hours, Mike directs the jazz studies program at the Ithaca College School of Music in the ridiculously beautiful Finger Lakes region of central New York State. At IC he teaches jazz saxophone, arranging, improvisation, theory, and directs the hard-swinging Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble.

Prior to teaching at Ithaca College, Mike lived in the New York City area where he played at infamous musical venues such as the Blue Note, Smalls, Augies, Fez/Time Café and the legendary CBGB's as well as the pit orchestra of the Broadway musical "Cats."  He has performed with dozens of internationally recognized artists and groups including John Hollenbeck, Gary Versace, Red Rodney, Cab Calloway, Jeff Tyzik, Natalie Cole, Billy Taylor, Mel Torme, Branford Marsalis, Jason Robert Brown, Andres Forero, the Mingus Big Band, the Sneider Brothers, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, and more.

His interest in educating musicians of all ages has brought Mike to schools and universities across the country where he has done numerous lectures, clinics and performances and directed honors jazz ensembles. He has taught at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and the Eastman School of Music, created the jazz track at the American Festival for the Arts in Houston, and taught a variety of musical topics at schools in the New York City area. 

Mike is the author of “Jazz Improvisation Using Simple Melodic Embellishment” published by Routledge in May 2021. He was co-editor of “Teaching School Jazz: Perspectives, Principles and Strategies” published by Oxford University Press in 2019. He has written compositions and arrangements published by Advance Music and Heritage Music Press.

Mike grew up in Rochester, NY, and attended the Eastman School of Music where he earned a BM in Saxophone Performance and the Performer's Certificate in 1991. He also completed graduate studies at Eastman, receiving his MM in Jazz and Contemporary Media/Writing Skills in 1992, and did additional study in composition at the Oregon Bach Festival Composition Symposium, the Aspen Music School and the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop.


HI RES PHOTOS OF MUSIC BECAUSE MUSIC

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.


Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.


Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum B&W

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum B&W


Guitarist Bob Sneider with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.

Guitarist Bob Sneider with Music Because Music at the Lovin' Cup in Rochester, NY, Aug 2016.


Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) and vocalist Catherine Gale with Music Because Music at the Rongovian Embassy, Trumansburg, NY, Oct 2016.

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) and vocalist Catherine Gale with Music Because Music at the Rongovian Embassy, Trumansburg, NY, Oct 2016.


Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) and Music Because Music at the Rongovian Embassy, Trumansburg, NY, Oct 2016.

Saxophonist/composer Mike Titlebaum (alto) and Music Because Music at the Rongovian Embassy, Trumansburg, NY, Oct 2016.