Michael Arndt, DMA
Professor of Trumpet
Associate Director, MTSU School of Music
A native of the Midwest, Dr. Michael Arndt joined the Middle Tennessee State University School of Music as the trumpet professor in 2002. In addition to maintaining a private studio of more than twenty music majors, Arndt coaches and directs the MTSU Symphonic Brass Ensemble, the award winning MTSU Trumpet Ensemble, and numerous other brass chamber ensembles. He has also guest conducted both the MTSU Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. His students have gone on to study at the Cleveland Institute, Arizona State University, University of Missouri Kansas-City and many other reputable programs. In additional to having numerous students teaching in band programs throughout Tennessee and the southeast, MTSU students perform regularly at the National Trumpet Competition and students that have won recent positions with the Nashville Symphony, the Major Command Army Band at Fort Bragg, and The Who.
Under his direction, the MTSU Trumpet Ensemble is very active and has opened for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra’s Day of Music, competed in the National Trumpet Competition in Washington, DC, and performed at International Trumpet Guild Conferences at Rowan University, Minneapolis, and Columbus State University.
Arndt has presented and performed at conferences in the US and in Bangkok, Thailand. His performing schedule at the university is very busy as he performs solo recitals, and performs regularly with the Stones River Chamber Players. The MTSU Faculty Brass Quintet features Arndt along with colleagues David Loucky, Jamey Simmons, Angela DeBoer, and Benjamin Miles. They have presented many concerts in Middle Tennessee featuring some of the most exciting and difficult music for brass quintet.
Since moving to Middle Tennessee, Arndt has been very active in Nashville’s dynamic music community. He is a regular addition to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra trumpet section and plays Principal Trumpet with Orchestra Kentucky. Recent performances with Orchestra Kentucky include Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Barber’s Capricorn Concerto, as well as Mahler Symphony No. 1, and Gershwin’s Concerto in F and American in Paris. He also shares the principal trumpet chair in the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra with Chris Coletti of the Canadian Brass. He has played principal on recent performances of Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben and Also Sprach Zarathustra, Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique and many others. He has performed with Orchestra Nashville, the Nashville Opera Orchestra, Chattanooga Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony. Additionally, he is active in Nashville recording studios and has performed with many of Nashville’s best known performers for Fourth of July Celebrations, benefit concerts, and even at Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Dr. Arndt has an in depth knowledge of pedagogy and performance having studied with some of the countries finest teachers and performers. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, Master of Music from the University of Minnesota and Doctorate of Music Arts from Arizona State University. He was also awarded a Performance Certificate from DePaul University. His teachers include David Hickman, John Hagstrom, Keith Benjamin, Phillip Clark, Gary Schutza, Gary Bordner, and David Baldwin.
In addition to his duties as the MTSU Professor of Trumpet, he also served as the President of the MTSU Faculty Senate during the 2012-2013 academic year.
Under his direction, the MTSU Trumpet Ensemble is very active and has opened for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra’s Day of Music, competed in the National Trumpet Competition in Washington, DC, and performed at International Trumpet Guild Conferences at Rowan University, Minneapolis, and Columbus State University.
Arndt has presented and performed at conferences in the US and in Bangkok, Thailand. His performing schedule at the university is very busy as he performs solo recitals, and performs regularly with the Stones River Chamber Players. The MTSU Faculty Brass Quintet features Arndt along with colleagues David Loucky, Jamey Simmons, Angela DeBoer, and Benjamin Miles. They have presented many concerts in Middle Tennessee featuring some of the most exciting and difficult music for brass quintet.
Since moving to Middle Tennessee, Arndt has been very active in Nashville’s dynamic music community. He is a regular addition to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra trumpet section and plays Principal Trumpet with Orchestra Kentucky. Recent performances with Orchestra Kentucky include Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Barber’s Capricorn Concerto, as well as Mahler Symphony No. 1, and Gershwin’s Concerto in F and American in Paris. He also shares the principal trumpet chair in the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra with Chris Coletti of the Canadian Brass. He has played principal on recent performances of Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben and Also Sprach Zarathustra, Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique and many others. He has performed with Orchestra Nashville, the Nashville Opera Orchestra, Chattanooga Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony. Additionally, he is active in Nashville recording studios and has performed with many of Nashville’s best known performers for Fourth of July Celebrations, benefit concerts, and even at Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Dr. Arndt has an in depth knowledge of pedagogy and performance having studied with some of the countries finest teachers and performers. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, Master of Music from the University of Minnesota and Doctorate of Music Arts from Arizona State University. He was also awarded a Performance Certificate from DePaul University. His teachers include David Hickman, John Hagstrom, Keith Benjamin, Phillip Clark, Gary Schutza, Gary Bordner, and David Baldwin.
In addition to his duties as the MTSU Professor of Trumpet, he also served as the President of the MTSU Faculty Senate during the 2012-2013 academic year.