Composer, arranger, and educator, Michelle Willis, is a registered UA&M teaching artist, a UMEA member, and a member of the League of American Orchestras. She has received compositional training from Barlow Bradford, Nathan Hofheins, Darwin Wolford, Daniel Gawthrop and Roger W. Ames and has won several compositional awards from the LDS Church Music Submission Contest.

Michelle Willis is a graduate of Ricks College and Boise State University. She has applied her Bachelor of Arts degree in Choral Music Education to compose over 65 original works performed by ensembles for audiences in: Boston, Massachusetts; Temple Square-Salt Lake City, Utah; Ann Morrison Fine Arts Center-Boise, Idaho; Brigham Young University-Provo, Utah; Barrus Concert Hall-BYU-Idaho campus; Las Vegas Convention Center; and Vienna, Austria. In addition to her work as a composer, Mrs. Willis participates in her community as a resident composer for the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera Educational Outreach Division, where she has assisted with music for more than 25 children-s operas. She served on the Herriman Arts Council from 2005-2011 and has written several original stage productions for that community. Mrs. Willis arranged and orchestrated a full-length musical in 2016 based on the book “Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale, which has been performed in South Jordan and Heber, UT. She has directed several community choirs and orchestras and finds great joy in conducting. She has served as an adjudicator for music ensembles in the Utah Valley and as an instructor in the Suzuki School of Music at Albertson College of Idaho. She also gives guest lectures on her experiences with composing and loves working with educators and youth to create their own music.

Michelle currently serves on the Executive Board for Kensington Theatre Company and is music director for Kensington Symphony Orchestra and Murray Symphony. She teaches orchestra, ukulele, and guitar in junior high.