Michael A. Werner

Before joining the Seattle Symphony as Principal Percussion in the 2009/2010 season, Michael Werner was a percussionist with the Metropolitan Opera for 13 years and Principal Percussion for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for two years. He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Chamber Ensemble, Metropolitan Opera Percussion Ensemble, Pittsburgh Symphony and Seattle Chamber Music Society, the Canadian Brass and Empire Brass ensembles, and at the Santa Barbara International Percussion Festival.

Werner is a member of the faculty at The New School for Music in New York and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. He has served as a clinician and instructor for the Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Washington, The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, New World Symphony, Oberlin Percussion Institute and Percussive Arts Society. He is also a Featured Artist and Clinician for Pearl Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals and Freer Percussion.

Werner started his secondary studies at the Eastman School of Music, under John Beck. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Richard Wiener. He also studied with Tom Freer at Cleveland State University.