Through my experience as a pianist, composer, and instructor both privately and at the University of North Texas, I've helped scores of musicians find a fast-track to their goals—helping them to feel confident and capable both with their craft and in life. I recently finished my tenure as an instructor and student at the University of North Texas, where I earned three degrees in piano performance, jazz piano, and jazz composition and taught numerous courses. I am the recipient of several national honors in all three areas, including winning of the Yamaha Award in the American Jazz Pianist Competition and receiving the Jazz Education Network Young Composer Showcase fellowship. I live in Denton, Texas and am active working in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. I am husband to my wonderful wife Melissa and we enjoy raising and loving our two dogs, Addie and Pippen.

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I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to my parents Lynn and Linda Clement. I was the last of four children--the youngest sibling to Stephanie, Derek, and Garrett. Some of my fondest memories as a child include role-playing games with my siblings and neighbors and learning reading and mathematics with my mom and my sister Stephanie. However, since my mom was a piano teacher, I was quickly attracted to music. After a few months of begging my mom for lessons, my mom began to teach me to play the piano at the age of 4.

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Michael R. Clement, 24, began begging for piano lessons at the age of four.  After studying with his mother and other local piano teachers, Michael studied with Professor Lenora Ford Brown from 2009-2012. Under her guidance, Michael won awards in several piano competitions in high school, including 1st place in the 2010 and 2011 University of Utah Piano Competitions and 1st place in the 2010 Weber State University Piano Competition. Always curious and interested in "how music works," he started experimenting with his pieces at an early age, immediately applying the theory he was learning. This chord analysis gave way to a love of improvisation and jazz. Michael was an All-State Jazz Ensemble pianist and served as the student director of jazz, percussion, and wind ensembles at his high school. He was the Associate Director for the Crescent Octet (Led by Caleb Chapman) and played in his own self-named piano trio. In his senior year, he auditioned at the University of North Texas College of Music and not only was accepted, but became the recipient of the prestigious Eastman Piano Scholarship. 

While at UNT, Michael has studied privately with several great pianists, including Steven Harlos, Patrick Coil, and Gustavo Romero. He enjoys a diversified education, excelling in jazz and classical solo playing, as well as collaborative arts in both areas.  This past fall, he was a finalist in the 2017 UNT Concerto Competition, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto #2 in G Minor.  He was recently named UNT’s “Outstanding Undergraduate Piano Performance Major of the Year.”  In the jazz area, he leads and participates in several student led ensembles, including his own quintet and trio. He is also a member of the 2 OʼClock Lab Band. Michael’s current plans are to finish his dual degree and continue at UNT as a MM Jazz Composition major and Jazz Piano Teaching Fellow, studying under Rich DeRosa.  He is in his Senior year at the University of North Texas, and will graduate December 2018.

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