Dr. Michael Buck
Education Specialist in Music, Outreach
Michael.Buck@pcae.k12.mn.us | 763-279-4285
Michael Buck, PhD currently serves as the Music Education Specialist for Perpich Center for Arts Education and Director of the Norseman Band at St. Olaf College. Previously, Dr. Buck held higher education posts at The College of St. Scholastica and Augsburg University.
Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Buck served over twenty years as a K-12 instrumental music educator in Minnesota and in two overseas American international schools.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Buck has enjoyed making music in numerous groups including church choir, community choir, barbershop choir, brass band, community band, community orchestra, brass quintet, and an acapella vocal sextet.
Dr. Buck has presented peer-reviewed research projects and workshops in local, regional, national, and international settings. His work includes appearances at the International Symposium of Assessment in Music Education (ISAME), the International Society for Music Education/European Association for Music in Schools (ISME/EAS), Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA), the South Asia International Schools Association (SAISA), the College Music Society/Association for Technology in Music Instruction (CMS/ATMI), the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), the Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) and Perpich Center for Arts Education.
Dr. Buck’s professional areas of expertise include assessment/evaluation, teaching/learning pedagogy, music curriculum development, brain research on music, and music technology.
An active band and orchestra clinician, Dr. Buck has led numerous festivals and workshops, and is a frequent guest conductor of regional and conference festivals.
Dr. Buck’s leadership roles include chair of the Minnesota chapter of the College Band Directors National Association (MN CBDNA), MMEA Band Vice President, MMEA All-State Band and Orchestra section coach, and Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony section coach (GTCYS).
Dr. Buck holds degrees in music education and conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi, VanderCook College of Music, and St. Olaf College.