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About Me

Boston-based trombonist Michael Prentky takes pride in his musicality, reliability and professionalism.

 

Michael most actively performs with Tiny Desk-featured Mozambican funk band Kina Zoré. He has performed with jazz groups the Seajun Kwon Walking Cliché Sextet, Jorrit Dijkstra's Porch Bone, the Makanda Project, the Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra, and Charlie Kohlhase's Explorer's Club. He has performed with salsa singers Tito Puente Jr., Los Adolescentes, Frankie Negron, Felix Manuel, Felipe Jorge (Grupo Felix), Jorge Maldonado, Willie Gonzalez, David Pabon, El Montuno Y La Cimorronada and others.

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As an educator, Michael is currently teaching for ZUMIX as a specialist partnering with East Boston Public Schools to develop an instrumental music program for 5th-12th graders. He has taught trumpet, trombone, tuba, euphonium, general music, improvisation, music theory, composition, and arranging.

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He attended New England Conservatory for his Bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance on trombone while completing their Music-In-Education program and later a Master’s Degree in Performance. He has been a freelance trombonist and educator in Boston for over a decade.

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Resume

Education

2020 - MFA Jazz Performance, New England Conservatory

2014 - BFA Jazz Performance, Music-In-Education Concentration, New England Conservatory


Grants & Certifications

2019 - U.S. Artists International Touring Grant (w/ Kina Zoré)

2016 - Assets for Artists Grant; Mass MoCa

2016 - Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure - Music

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Teaching Experience

  • ZUMIX - East Boston Public School Band Program (2021 - present) - Collaborating with BPS, ZUMIX, and other partners to create a cohesive band program from scratch for 5-12th graders at the PJK, Otis and East Boston High Schools. Teaching trumpet, trombone, clarinet and flute.

  • Public Schools of Brookline - Private Brass Instructor (2016 - present ) - Teaching trumpet, trombone, and percussion to 5-8th graders.

  • Brimmer and May School - Private Brass Instructor (2016 - 2022 ) - Teaching trumpet, trombone and euphonium lessons to elementary school students.

  • North End Music Performing Arts Center - Private Brass Instructor (2016 - 2022) - Teaching private brass lessons.

  • Boch Center: Target Arts - Teaching Artist (2016 - 2018 ) - Teaching literacy to 2nd & 3rd graders through collaborative arts integration education.

  • Horizons Summer Camp, Brass Teacher (2018); teach two classes of underserved 3rd graders trumpet and trombone every day for 4 weeks resulting in a performance.

  • UMass Boston - Urban Scholars Music Teacher (2017) - Six-week summer program teaching general music concepts of rhythm and music theory in addition to instrument building to High School kids resulting in performance.

  • ZUMIX - Substitute Teacher (2015 - present) - Teach private trombone, and trumpet lessons. Coach the Latin Music Ensemble.

  • NEC Music Launch - Co-Lead Teacher, Supervisor (2014 - 2017) - Conducting general music classes, advise NEC interns.

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Performance Experience

Kina Zoré, trombonist/manager (2012 - present)

  • NPR Tiny Desk - Top Shelf Feature (2023)

  • Performance for President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi (2019)

  • Performances at: Beantown Jazz Festival, Regattabar, Middle East Downstairs, Outside the Box Festival, the Lawn on D Street, Club Passim, the Berklee Performance Center (Boston); Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago, IL); Club Balattou (Montreal, QC); Musideum (Toronto, ON); International Festival of Arts and Ideas (New Haven, CT)


Sarma Brass Band, band member (2017 - 2021)

  • Performances at: CrashFest - House of Blues (Boston, MA), Zlatne Uste Golden Fest (Brooklyn, NYC)


Lilla, band member (2012 - 2017)

  • Performances at: Outside the Box Festival, Royale, House of Blues (Boston, MA)

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