An Interview with Mike Kamuf
September 15, 2026|
Alfred Music Official
Mike Kamuf is a composer, arranger, educator, and clinician whose catalog spans jazz ensemble, concert band, and orchestra. A graduate of the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University (where he earned a dual degree in Music Education and Jazz Performance), he went on to complete a master’s in Instrumental Conducting at George Mason University. He has been part of the Alfred Music family since 2005, and he writes from decades of experience in the classroom.
Q: How did you first discover your passion for composing?
I started writing because I was inspired by so many of the recordings my father played while I was growing up — lots of jazz, but classical and rock as well. There was a lot of music being played in our house! I started writing trumpet duets in ninth grade and eventually my first big band chart in tenth grade. My high school band director was very encouraging and helpful along the way.
Q: Who has shaped how you think about music?
My collective experiences with many different mentors and heroes, from high school through my college years, helped me understand and appreciate so many different forms and styles of music. Those experiences didn’t just make me the musician and writer I am — they taught me to be a lifelong learner. In high school, my director Wayne Miller played a big role. In my undergraduate work, Tony Leonardi, Esotto Pelligrini, Les Hicken, Sam D’Angelo, Sue Sexton, and Dave Rivello were all major influences. From my graduate work and beyond, there are far too many names to mention, but the chance to study and work with Anthony Maiello made a huge impact on me as both a musician and an educator.
Q: What was the first piece you wrote that made you think, “I might actually be onto something here”?
Although I wrote in high school, I knew I had a lot to learn and was determined to develop my skills. “Bout 8” (for jazz ensemble) and “Excursions” (for brass quintet) were pieces I wrote early in my freshman year of undergrad, just for fun. They were well received by the faculty, and after hearing them performed, both the faculty and my fellow students were incredibly encouraging. That was the moment I first thought, “Maybe I can write music.”
Q: What’s the hardest creative problem you’ve had to solve in your work?
Writing for the youngest musicians is always challenging because of the limitations of range and technique. It can be fairly daunting! Since I taught beginning-level students for so long, I draw on all those years of classroom experience to help me work through creative dilemmas.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece on Alfred.com? What was the spark behind it?
I have so many titles published for jazz and concert bands and orchestras that picking just one is very difficult! I’m proud of all of them, but “Continuance,” a concert band work, is one I’m especially happy about. I just love how the piece flows and how I was able to continually develop two themes throughout the entire work.
Q: Where did you study, and how much of what you do today traces back to your formal training versus what you figured out on your own?
I completed my undergraduate degree at the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, with a dual degree in Music Education and Jazz Performance. My graduate work was at George Mason University in Instrumental Conducting. A lot of my formal training at both universities really shaped my understanding and appreciation of music — but I’m also always listening to and analyzing music (sometimes to a fault). All of it has helped make me a lifelong learner.
Q: How long have you been publishing with Alfred, and how did that relationship start?
I had one piece published by Belwin/Warner Bros. just before Alfred acquired WB print music in 2005. I’ve been part of the Alfred Music family ever since!
Q: Outside of composing, is there another role in music that’s been just as central to who you are?
I’ve been fortunate to have simultaneously active careers as an educator, composer, arranger, and clinician. Each of those roles is equally important to me, and I love the opportunities that come along with each one.
Q: How has the music education publishing world changed since you started, and how has that shaped what you write?
When I started teaching in the early 1990s, I didn’t feel the publishing industry was fully meeting the need for products to teach instrumental music in public schools. Since then, there have been so many changes in both music education and publishing. Alfred, in particular, has been quite innovative in creating products that help educators meet the needs of their classrooms, and it has allowed many composers and arrangers to write performance pieces that serve modern instrumental ensembles.
Q: Is there a favorite piece of yours that may not be your most popular work but resonates strongly with you?
My first published piece in the Belwin Jazz catalog, “Bean Is On the Scene,” is still one of my favorites. I wrote it over twenty years ago and dedicated it to my daughter, who was a toddler at the time. We’re very close, and I’ve always been proud of that piece — even though it isn’t as popular as some of the other titles in our catalog.