Mike Fitzpatrick started banding in 1978 at St Josephs Christian Brothers College, Rockhampton as a baritone player. He quickly graduated up to trombone and in the next few years won a number of regional and state competitions. He joined the Army in 1982 and is currently an Instructor in at the Advanced Training Wing of the Defence Force School of Music. During his years in the Army, Mike has been posted to most of Australia's major cities and worked with a vast array of world-renowned musicians as well as taking part in a many international tours, touring China, Canada, England and Japan. He has also spent a number of years performing with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Perth Jazz Orchestra.
Mike has composed for rock bands and stage bands as well as both brass and concert bands. Bands in Japan and England, as well as Australia are currently playing a number of his works. In 2001 he won the Australian Songwriters Association Instrumental Song of the Year award for his composition Y2K Non-Compliant. Mike is currently studying composition at Melbourne University with Stuart Greenbaum and Julian Yu. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and three kids and climbing the occasional mountain.
