Michelle Ann May
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Michelle began piano lessons with her mother, Mary Walton at the age of five. She picked up violin studies at the age of ten and flute at the age of eleven. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Education from Marygrove College, a Master of Arts in Counseling from Wayne State University and a Certificate in Recording Technology from Schoolcraft College. In addition, she has extensive post-Bachelor’s and post-Master’s work in both music and corporate training and development, all from Wayne State University. She has studied with instructors Emily Austin (violin), Richard Piippo (chamber music), the Lafayette String Quartet (chamber music), Morris Hochberg (violin), Peter Michalicia (violin), Ronald English (jazz studies), Diane Monroe (jazz violin), Barbara Ogar (flute), Matthew Michaels (jazz studies), and the Mark O’Connor Strings Conference(San Diego alternative styles workshop). Michelle is a sought-after teacher on both violin and flute. Her mission is to impart both musical knowledge and spiritual life wisdom to each student under her care. She has worked with the Sphinx Organization (www.sphinxmusic.org) since 2001 as Sphinx Symphony member, Sphinx Jury and Guest Artist Liaison and former Dean of the Sphinx Preparatory Institute and former Coordinator of Sphinx Overture, an after-school violin program for beginning students. Michelle has been a member of numerous classical, gospel, jazz, R&B and world music ensembles, as well as performing in orchestras and on recordings behind such nationally renowned performers as Aretha Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Richard Smallwood, Fred Hammond, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, KEM and the late greats Donald Walden, Barry White, Joe Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dr. Teddy Harris, to name a few. Michelle leads Musique Noire (www.musiquenoire.com), a world jazz ensemble with veteran string and percussion players.
Michelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.) and is the Vice-President of A.M. May & Associates, Inc., a Detroit counseling and consulting firm (co-founded with her sister, Dr. Angela C. May), and a counselor at Oakland Community College. Michelle is president of Ann Vincent Productions, Inc. a venture that managers her musical pursuits, including Musique Noire. Michelle is founder and Music Director for the “Sounds of Music” House Concert series, presented by the Historic Boston-Edison Association in Detroit w.historicbostonedison.org)
Michelle has held numerous Board of Directors and Committee positions
with such organizations as Adult Learning Systems (non-profit mental health), the Michigan College Personnel Association (including a term as President), Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity (current member of the Finance Committee) and Detroit’s Historic Boston-Edison Residential District. Ms. May is a member of the American String Teachers Association, the Detroit Federation of Musicians (Local 5), the American Counseling Association, voting member of the Detroit Music Awards and an Associate Member of the Chicago Chapter of the Recording Academy. In 2018, Michelle was chosen to receive a prestigious Artist Fellowship from the Kresge Arts in Detroit Program administered by the Kresge Foundation. Michelle is married to Ronald Vincent James.
