Our Founding Director: Michael Howard

A professional trumpet player and music composer and arranger with over 50 years of experience, Michael Howard came to the Raleigh area in 2019 looking for an opportunity to play in a big band. He was introduced to David McGowan and together, they founded the Neuse River Big Band, which created a wonderful opportunity for musicians in the area to play and sing music from the Big Band era. 

Michael retired from the band in the Spring of 2024, but his legacy "lives on" as they say!  Michael has contributed his music library and his musical arrangements to the band so they may continue to play them. The band is greatly indebted to the incredible sacrifice of time and energy that Michael devoted to the band in its formative 5 years! 

Michael has been a professional trumpeter, Band Leader, and Arranger since early in his life (age 14). His early start led to him being in the Ft. Lauderdale Symphony at 16, 1st Trumpet in the state of Florida (FMEA) at 17, 1st Trumpeter on scholarship at the University of Miami for several years (Bachelor/Music), then on to a full-time career as musician & educator. 

He has been a studio trumpeter in 3 locales: Nashville, Miami, and Orlando, played Broadway Musicals in NYC (A Chorus Line, etc.), and played Lead Trumpet with numerous Big Bands: Glenn Miller Orchestra, Larry Elgart B.B., Bo Thorpe Orchestra (which was based in Rocky Mount, NC), Billy Maxted’s Manhattan Jazz Band, and about 100 others. He also was the only official leader of the Charlie Spivak Orchestra after Charlie’s passing. 

Some of the TV shows, Recordings, and Acts with which he performed are: Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, Robert Goulet, Sonny & Cher, Bobby Vinton, the Spinners, Seals & Crofts, Nelson Ned, Jerry Reed, Andy Williams, the Miss USA Pageant, the Dove Awards, etc.