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Mary Pat Michels
Music Director, String Orchestra West

Mary Pat Michels is MYSO’s String Orchestra West Music Director.

Since 1997, she has taught in the School District of West Allis-West Milwaukee (WAWM) and is currently the orchestra director at West Allis Central High School and Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School, director of the WAWM Shining Strings, and the WAWM RCS Sinfonia. She is also music coordinator & curriculum lead for the district where she oversees the music programs of 18 teachers in 15 schools. She maintains a private violin and viola studio, is an adjudicator for the WSMA Solo-Ensemble Festivals, and is currently the WSMA Middle Level Honors Orchestra Coordinator.

Mrs. Michels is also an active free-lance musician and teacher in Southeastern Wisconsin.  She earned degrees in Violin and Viola Performance and her Music Education Certification at UW-Milwaukee (UWM). While at UWM, Mrs. Michels was the orchestra music librarian/project assistant, the assistant to the director of bands, managed the UWM Brass Choir, and was the UWM Youth Wind Ensemble Program Coordinator.  She also has her Master's degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University.

Mrs. Michels was principal violist, music librarian and personnel manager of the Wisconsin Philharmonic, where she played for nearly twenty years. She also served as principal viola of the Racine Symphony Orchestra (RSO) from 2000-2007, soloing twice with the orchestra.  She is currently operations assistant and music lIbrarian for the Festival City Symphony where she is a member of the viola section.  Mrs. Michels is also the manager and founder of the Lakeside Strings, which performs chamber music at special events throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.  

Mary Pat Michels (née Subjak) is an MYSO/MFY alumna—and played violin and viola in all of the orchestras from 1982-1991. A highlight was the MYSO tour to Scotland and the Aberdeen, Scotland Festival orchestra, as principal viola of MYSO’s Senior Symphony.

From 1991-2000, Mrs. Michels coached various MYSO orchestras and chamber ensembles and served as an administrative assistant. In 2008, she returned to the MYSO staff as orchestra director for the Progressions Program. After twelve years with Progressions, she is thrilled to be the music director for String Orchestra West, which is the first orchestra she played in at MYSO/MFY.

Mary Pat Michels
Music Director, String Orchestra West

Mary Pat Michels is MYSO’s String Orchestra West Music Director.

Since 1997, she has taught in the School District of West Allis-West Milwaukee (WAWM) and is currently the orchestra director at West Allis Central High School and Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School, director of the WAWM Shining Strings, and the WAWM RCS Sinfonia. She is also music coordinator & curriculum lead for the district where she oversees the music programs of 18 teachers in 15 schools. She maintains a private violin and viola studio, is an adjudicator for the WSMA Solo-Ensemble Festivals, and is currently the WSMA Middle Level Honors Orchestra Coordinator.

Mrs. Michels is also an active free-lance musician and teacher in Southeastern Wisconsin.  She earned degrees in Violin and Viola Performance and her Music Education Certification at UW-Milwaukee (UWM). While at UWM, Mrs. Michels was the orchestra music librarian/project assistant, the assistant to the director of bands, managed the UWM Brass Choir, and was the UWM Youth Wind Ensemble Program Coordinator.  She also has her Master's degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University.

Mrs. Michels was principal violist, music librarian and personnel manager of the Wisconsin Philharmonic, where she played for nearly twenty years. She also served as principal viola of the Racine Symphony Orchestra (RSO) from 2000-2007, soloing twice with the orchestra.  She is currently operations assistant and music lIbrarian for the Festival City Symphony where she is a member of the viola section.  Mrs. Michels is also the manager and founder of the Lakeside Strings, which performs chamber music at special events throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.  

Mary Pat Michels (née Subjak) is an MYSO/MFY alumna—and played violin and viola in all of the orchestras from 1982-1991. A highlight was the MYSO tour to Scotland and the Aberdeen, Scotland Festival orchestra, as principal viola of MYSO’s Senior Symphony.

From 1991-2000, Mrs. Michels coached various MYSO orchestras and chamber ensembles and served as an administrative assistant. In 2008, she returned to the MYSO staff as orchestra director for the Progressions Program. After twelve years with Progressions, she is thrilled to be the music director for String Orchestra West, which is the first orchestra she played in at MYSO/MFY.