Michael McTaggart

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Michael is an active musician, composer, and arranger. He is currently studying at USC as a Studio/ Jazz Guitar major. Prior to this, he attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts where he began exploring the world of jazz and improvised music. During high school Michael has had the opportunity to perform at The Monterey Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, USC Jazz Festival, Rose Bowl, and the Duke Ellington Big Band Competition at Lincoln Center. Also during this time he was chosen to represent the Thelonious Monk Institute for Jazz as a jazz ambassador with legendary saxophonist Bobby Watson. Additionally, as an ambassador, he also facilitated clinics/master classes to high school students and interested patrons. During his senior year, he was awarded the NAACP Student of the Year Award (by the Act-So division), as well as a gold medal in the NAACP ACT-SO competition for an original film entitled “My Everything” chronicling the life of a struggling jazz musician. Before finishing his studies at the LACHSA, McTaggart won the Vernon T. High award for musical mastery from the Dolo Coker Foundation, performed live music for National Public Radio (Southern California, 88.9), and placed 1st with his Jazz ensemble in the Berklee College of Music Jazz competition. While at the competition, Michael was presented a full scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music to study Performance.

After graduating high school, he attended USC Thornton School of Music as a Presidential Scholar. During his time at USC, Michael performed at the NAACP National Convention, studied and performed as a representative of the USC Thornton School in London, England, as well as served as the musical director of the USC Saved by Grace Gospel Choir. In 2007, Michael along with some of his close friends, envisioned, organized, and produced a fundraiser for the NAACP ACT-SO program at the Pasadena Jazz Institute. The event was hosted by 88.1 KJAZZ’s Jose Rizzo and included performances by jazz legends Dwight Tribble, John Clayton, Barbara Morrison, Nolan Shaheed, and Michael’s own Umoja Quintet. Aside from music, Michael is also a program coordinator/volunteer for the What About the Children Foundation, which serves to help enrich the lives of inner city youth through various arts programs, health fairs, and other events in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area. His short stories have been published in the Stanford Anthology for the Youth, and he has been featured in articles/interviews in the CaribPress, Los Angeles Times, The Sentinel, Pasadena Journal, L.A.

Jazz Scene, LA Weekly, and the Daily Trojan. He plans to continue drawing influence from global styles of music to infuse in his performances, arrangements, and compositions for his own projects, as well as for other artists. Show less