Bio
Mike Whitebread is a performer, composer, music director, and music producer based out of Houston, TX.
As an instrumentalist, Mike has played and toured throughout the world appearing stateside on ABC World News and CNN while internationally on BBC World News, BBC4, German and French TV, Reuters, and Egyptian late night and morning talk shows with artist Kareem Salama. Most recently, Mike performed with Kareem in Toronto Canada (2018), Washington D.C., and Chicago. He has also performed at such landmarks as inside the Old City of Jerusalem, along the Nile river in Cairo, and at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. More recent appearances include the Miri Country Music Festival (Malaysia), in Texas backing up Broadway sensation Audra Mcdonald, and in Indianapolis in a joint concert with Orchestra of America and the Indianapolis Symphony at Indiana’s Hilbert Circle Theater.
As a theatre artist, Mike served as music director and guitarist in 2018 for the Colorado New Play Festival’s workshop of Tender Mercies, a theatrical and musical adaptation of the 1983 movie. He has recently performed at Houston’s Alley Theatre in the 2018 Alley All New Festival, as well as in opening productions for the 2015 and 2016 seasons with One Man, Two Guvnors and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The One Man, Two Guvnors production featured Mike onstage as a rockabilly/skiffle guitarist and singer while the Midsummer production featured Mike as a multi-instrumentalist performing an original score by Broadway composer Gregg Coffin.
In the studio, Mike has co-produced and collaborated with the brilliantly talented and Grammy winning Dan Workman in producing Houston Grand Opera soloist Alicia Gianni for her 2017 debut release. Mike also produced and performed on rootsy/folk artist Craig Kinsey’s album, American Roots and Machines. Mike and Craig produced Kinsey’s first album, The Burdener, which garnering recent local “Best Song” and “Best Album” awards including a ‘Best 12 Texas Albums’ of the year award in the Houston Chronicle next to names like Willie Nelson. In addition, the Mike Whitebread Trio recording features new arrangements of traditional jazz standards.
Mike keeps time for a students at Houston’s Western Academy and the University of St. Thomas Music Preparatory School, where he teaches classes, private lessons, and leads the annual Guitar Camp workshop at the University. He has additionally served as choral conductor and music director for various educational theatre and musical performances. Mike holds a Masters of Music in jazz conducting from the Moores School of Music and two undergraduate degrees in composing and performance.
Mike’s current instrument list includes guitar, upright and electric bass, percussion/drum set, piano, accordion, recorder consort, pump organ and electric organ, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, as well as voice (tenor).