Mike Dana
Mike Dana attended California State University, Fresno, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1975, and a Master’s degree in 1991 (both in music/composition.) He also attended the Berklee College of Music is Boston, and studied privately with jazz guitar legend Joe Pass. Mike is currently pursuing his doctoral degree at Boston University.
He began his teaching career at the Roosevelt School of the Arts in Fresno, where he founded the first high school classical guitar program in central California. In 1990, he took over the position as Director of Jazz Studies at FCC. In 1999, he also assumed the duties of Department Chair.
Under his direction, the jazz program at FCC has developed a national reputation. The Jazz Ensemble consistently earns top honors at major jazz festivals. Many students have gone on to complete their degrees at institutions like Cal Arts, Berklee College of Music, University of North Texas, and USC. Others have gone on to careers as professional musicians. Mike continues to be in demand as a guest artist, clinician, and teacher for jazz festivals and summer workshops throughout the western United States.
Mike has extensive experience as a studio guitarist, arranger, composer, and producer. As a session guitarist, he has played on hundreds of albums, produced dozens more, and has been a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) for many years. He has played in the pit orchestra for the touring companies of Broadway shows like Fiddler On The Roof, Hello Dolly, and A Chorus Line. He continues to be active as a performer, leading his own jazz trio, playing with the After Dinner Mints, and appearing at jazz festivals. His jazz guitar credits include performances with Cannonball Adderley, Gary Burton, Clark Terry, Bob Mintzer, Bobby Shew, Ernie Watts, Arturo Sandoval, and many others.
Mike has composed music for orchestra, chamber ensembles, musical theater, choral, TV commercials, and of course jazz. His compositions for jazz ensemble have received excellent reviews in the International Jazz Education Journal and are widely performed across the United States. They are published by Matrix Music, Heritage Press, and Walrus Publishing. His advertising clients include Bank of America, Pepsi, Safeway, the Big Fresno Fair, the Fresno Bee, and hundreds more.
In the fall of 2004, Mike founded (and serves as musical director of) the Jazz Composers Orchestra, an ensemble made up of the finest jazz musicians and educators in central California. This ensemble was selected to perform at the International Association for Jazz Education conference in January 2005.
Mike also serves on the board of directors of JazzFresno, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting jazz performances and education in the Central Valley.
At FCC, Mike teaches the following courses:
• Jazz Ensemble
• Jazz Theory
• Advanced Jazz Improvisation
• Jazz Arranging
• Jazz History and Appreciation
• MIDI Music Production
• The Music Business
• Intro to Finale
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