Michael Mixtacki is a versatile percussionist, educator, and recording artist based in Knoxville, TN. With over 15 years of experience across world percussion, orchestral percussion, contemporary chamber music, jazz, and commercial music genres, Michael has built his career on a well-rounded, holistic approach to percussion.
As an educator, Michael served on faculty at Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Northern Illinois University. In addition to percussion ensemble and private lesson instruction, Michael founded and directed both Afro-Cuban and Samba ensembles at each institution. He has also enjoyed experiences teaching lecture/seminar courses in global music, music technology, and percussion pedagogy. Michael has been involved with music camps and summer programs as a director and faculty member, and has been a featured guest artist at universities across the country.
As a performer, Michael’s work spans the symphony stage, the jazz club, and the recording studio, with appearances alongside artists including Kristin Chenoweth, Boyz II Men, Raul Pineda, Liam Teague, Jesus Diaz, Elio Villafranca, and Nestor Torres. As an orchestral percussionist and timpanist, he has performed with several orchestras across Texas and Wisconsin. His versatility across Afro-Cuban and Brazilian genres continues to inspire his creative activity, where he arranges, records, and performs innovative works blending Afro-Diasporic traditions with contemporary percussion sounds. Michael’s recording credits include two GRAMMY-nominated albums with Wayne Wallace, and two albums with his band Ritmos Unidos led by his mentor, Michael Spiro. He has performed and presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and the College Music Society.
Michael earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, master’s from Indiana University, and DMA from Texas Tech University. In addition to his relationship with Yamaha, Michael is an official clinician for the Latin Percussion Department of Education. He also endorses Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, Remo drumheads, and Sabian cymbals.