An active low brass performer, music educator,conductor, and composer/arranger
in the Capital District/Albany area, Michael Blostein is constantly innovating and challenging himself and his students to push musical boundaries.
As a low brass musician, he is an in-demand freelance performer throughout the Capital Region, often performing on tuba, bass trombone, tenor trombone and euphonium - as well as occasionally on upright bass. In addition to his freelance work, Mr. Blostein is a founding member of the Dominant 5 Brass Quintet and Old Time Dance Band. Beyond this, he is active with Brass-O-Mania, Capital Brass and Downtown Horns.
As a musical educator, Mr. Blostein has been teaching at Averill Park High School since 2000. His ensembles have toured various venues throughout the country, have won numerous awards, performed in prestigious halls such as Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer (now David Geffen) Hall, and have performed for many regional and state celebrations. Students have performed in various All-County, Suburban Council, Area All-State, Conference All-State and All-Eastern festivals and conferences, as well as been accepted to various college and university programs, including the Crane School of Music, Schenectady County Community College, Harvard University, Hartwick, Nazareth and University of Mississippi, among others. Throughout his time in Averill Park, he has taught Orchestra, Band, Jazz Ensemble, Music Theory and Music Appreciation classes, as well as all instrumental lessons.
Beginning in 2023, Mr. Blostein has been an Adjunct Low Brass Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Additionally, Mr. Blostein retains an active private studio.
His compositions have been performed throughout the country, including local schools, various colleges, community performances, and solo artists. His "27 Etudes for the Advancing Tuba Player" has been used for college and regional student orchestra audition pieces, after earning an Honorable Mention in the 2003 T.U.B.A. (Now I.T.E.A.) composition competition. He has numerous other works that appear on State and Regional audition lists, and is often asked to write chamber and solo music for various performers. With his strong working knowledge of the low brass instruments, his writing is at once challenging and accessible to performer and listener alike.
Since 2010 Mr. Blostein has conducted the Delmar Community Orchestra (fall season), as well as served as a guest conductor for many regional honor ensembles. He works regularly with the Empire State Youth Orchestra as an instructional coach, and has worked with the organization in various roles.
Mr. Blostein's education includes a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music, where he studied tuba with Peter Popeil and composition with David Heinick, Andrew Simpson and Arthur Frackenpohl. He went on to earn a Master's degree in Music Composition from the University of Arizona, where he studied composition with Dan Asia, counterpoint with Pamela Decker, tuba with Hank Feldman and Cherry Beauregard, and conducting with Gregg Hanson. Further studies have been undertaken at Villanova University (through the University of the Arts), UMass Amherst as well as The Juilliard School. He has twice been a quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator award, has twice been honored with the Times Union Educator award, and been included as a contributing writer in the All-Music Guide, as well as in the All-Music Guide to Classical Music.
You may also view his Curriculum Vitae.
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