Michael Holdsworth

• Encouraged students to express themselves musically while developing their individual styles.
• Guided advanced players through complex compositions while refining their technical proficiency.
• Demonstrated techniques for proper embouchure, tone production, articulation, dynamics, phrasing, and sight-reading.
• Motivated learners by providing positive reinforcement when they achieved desired results.

This is how my love for music and the saxophone was born.

• I started to play the saxophone when I was 12 years old.
• In my freshman year, I became 1st chair in the high school concert band and symphonic band, and I got accepted into all-state band and district band in that same year.
• In my sophomore year, I was first chair in the high school symphonic band, orchestra, and first chair in the district band, and I was also the lead alto in the jazz band.
• In junior year, in addition to playing in all the above-mentioned bands, I was also first chair in the state band and was nominated for the McDonald's All-American Band.
• Senior year, I was presented these awards: Semper Fidelis Award from the Marine Corps, Arion Award for musicianship, Louis Armstrong Award for Jazz musicianship, and 23 superior rating medals for solo and ensemble festivals.
• After high school, as part of the jazz combo group, I played in public and private events.
• I auditioned and got accepted in the nationally known band "Slap Nation," formerly known as "Slap Water," and was accepted as their saxophone player, but I decided to follow my second passion, which is cooking, and became the executive chef of Colonial Williamsburg's fine dining restaurant, Trellis.
• While pursuing my culinary career, I have kept my passion for music alive by playing at private parties, friends' gatherings, work events, and tutoring friends' and family members' children.