Michael Sherman

Assistant Director

Maine ASTA Board Member

Growing up in Newton, Massachusetts, Michael Sherman began Suzuki violin at age five and has since participated in music programs and festivals in the Northeast and Midwest. From a young age, Michael gained experience as a soloist and concertmaster at the New England Conservatory Prep School and the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival. Michael attended the University of New Hampshire where he studied violin with the late Mimi Bravar. At UNH, he was concertmaster of the UNH Symphony Orchestra and a founding member of a student-run, conductorless chamber orchestra with which he regularly performed as a soloist and leader.

Michael has performed with numerous orchestras, including the Harvard Summer Orchestra, Portsmouth Symphony, Symphony Pro Musica, and Reading Symphony Orchestra as a member and soloist. Michael is currently a member of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and enjoys a variety of leadership responsibilities with the orchestra. He is a frequent concertmaster as well as a member of the Board of Directors. In addition to modern violin, Michael is an enthusiastic baroque violinist and lover of period performance.

As a violinist who was able to enjoy numerous music education opportunities as a child, Michael is passionate about creating similar opportunities for the younger generation. Michael is the assistant director of Southern Maine String Camp, where he has worked each summer since 2011. In addition to this role, Michael is also the camp photographer, website and social media manager, and Board member of the Maine chapter of the American String Teachers Association. During the year, Michael works closely with the director to make sure we provide the best possible SMSC experience for all our campers. He likes to say, “my number one priority is to get kids to come to camp and give them a reason to return year after year.” Over the years, he has spent countless hours preparing marketing materials, visual media, and promoting SMSC to reach children all over New England, and beyond!

For the first ten years of his career, Michael worked in fashion retail management. He now combines his loves of music and client service as the General Manager of Johnson String Instrument and Carriage House Violins.

In his not-so-spare time, he enjoys photography, skiing, hiking, and fashion. He is also an active chamber music player. Michael performs on an 1869 Nestor Audinot violin.