BIO

Dr. Michael Carney is the Director of Orchestra and Wind Ensemble at the College of the Holy Cross since September 2022.  He has been the Director of Music Ministries at Trinity United Methodist Church in Springfield, MA since July 2021.  In this role, he directs 5 vocal choirs, 2 handbell choirs, and is the music director for the annual Boar's Head Festival featuring over 100 performers. Prior to this appointment, he served similar roles at the Church of St. Patrick in Farmington, CT and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Longmeadow, MA as well as taught music for 5 years in a K-12 setting.

During his time at Trinity United Methodist Church and The College of the Holy Cross, Dr. Carney has adopted a long-term goal of creating more Diverse Musical Experiences. The purpose of this goal is to expand upon the musical offerings to connect with a more diverse audience. This has led to the performance of underrepresented composers as well as music from diverse times and places.

Dr. Carney has performed as guest conductor with many ensembles in Western Massachusetts and the Greater Hartford Region including the South Hadley Chorale, Pioneer Valley Chorus, Children’s Chorus of Springfield as well as the Omni-Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Chamber Choir at the University of Hartford.  As an organist, he is a former board member of the American Guild of Organists, Springfield Chapter.

Dr. Carney holds a B.M. in Music Education and a B.S. in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst; M.M. in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Hartford, and D.M.A. in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Hartford. His dissertation is entitled “The Effects of Conducting Gestures Indicating Dynamics on Ensemble Sound Output: Acoustic Measures.”