Michael Sweeney

Michael Sweeney

Biography

Michael Sweeney (b. 10 September 1952, Hillsboro, Ore.) is an ASCAP award-winning American composer and musician. Sweeney studied music education and composition at Indiana University Bloomington, and taught five years in public schools of Ohio and Indiana, where he taught many concert, jazz and marching programs (including three years with the respected Greenwood High School Marching Woodmen) for students from elementary to high school.

Since 1982, Mr. Sweeney has worked full time for Hal Leonard Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is currently Director of Band Publications. In addition, he contributes as a composer and arranger in all instrumental areas. Sweeney is particularly known for his writing at the younger levels for concert and jazz bands, and has over 500 publications to his credit. His works appear on numerous state contest lists and his music is regularly performed around the world. An ASCAP award-winning composer, his Ancient Voices (1994) and Imperium (1992) are analyzed in music education texts from GIA Publications.

Sweeney is also on high demand as a clinician and conductor for honor bands and music festivals.

Works for Winds

• American Salute, An (1989)
• Ancient Voices (1994)
• Blue Mambo (2017)
• Celtic Air and Dance (2007)
• Celtic Air and Dance No. 3 (2011)
• Christmas Time Is Here (as arranger)
• Crossings in Time (2006)
• Dansbury Run (2013)
• Dialogues (2003)
• Down by the Salley Gardens (as arranger) (2006)
• Down to the River (as arranger) (2019)
• Earthdance (2010)
• First Suite in E-flat Themes (as arranger) (2006)
• Fractures in Time (2017)
• Horkstow Grange from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as arranger)
• Hymn to the Fallen (as arranger) (1998/2000)
• John Williams: Movie Adventures (as arranger) (1977/1999)
• Lament and Tribal Dances (2001)
• Last Full Measure (2013)
• Lisbon from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as adapter) (1937/2017)
• Lost Lady Found (as arranger) (1937/2011)
• Marches of the Armed Forces (as arranger) (1991)
• Memory (as arranger)
• Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (as arranger)
• Monmouth Overture (1999)
• Northland Pines (2013)
• On Joyful Wing (2018)
• On the Wings of Swallows (2000)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (as arranger) (2006)
• Pop and Rock Legends: Music of the Beatles (as arranger) (2010)
• Prelude and Pursuit (2013)
• Quad City Stomp (2008)
• River of the Ancients (2004)
• Root Beer Rag (as arranger) (1974/1981)
• Rumble on the High Plains (2005)
• Salute to the Duke
• Sawdust City Celebration (2012)
• Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (as arranger) (1967/2007)
• Sleepsong (as arranger) (2019)
• Stardance
• Suite from "MASS" (as arranger)
• Swamp Rabbit Stomp (2016)
• Themes from "New World Symphony" (as arranger) (1893)
• To Soar with Eagles (2013)
• Troy! (2009)
• Villages (2014)
• When the Sun Breaks Through the Mist (2006)
• The Willow Tree (as arranger) (1995/2018)
• Year of the Dragon (Sweeney) (2000)
• Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (as arranger) (2006)

References

• Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 107.