Technical Sergeant Michael Morris is a clarinetist with the USAF Band of Mid-America performing with the Concert Band, Ceremonial Band and Liberty Clarinet Quartet. Tech. Sgt. Morris is originally from Greenville, South Carolina. Before joining the USAF in September, 2011, he was living in the Chicago area for four years as a student, teaching privately and freelancing with local orchestras, colleges and theater companies. A clarinetist primarily, he also plays multiple instruments including flute, piccolo, recorder, saxophone and trumpet. Primary clarinet instructors have included Harry "Chip" Hill, R. Douglas Graham, Joseph Eller, Theodore Oien and Steve Cohen. Tech Sgt. Morris has studied flute with Constance Lane and Donna Shin. He has performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (SC) and Illinois Symphony Orchestra. He has attended summer music festivals at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Aspen Music Festival and the Texas Music Festival where he was a finalist in the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist competition.
For the Air Force, Tech. Sgt. Morris has worked as Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge (NCOIC) of Concert Band and Clarinet Quartet, Music Director, video productions technician, Facility Manager, Duty Sergeant, Operations Representative for small and large ensembles, NCOIC of social media & licensing, and Team Leader of Marketing. Musical highlights include being a featured soloist performing "Black Dog" by Scott McAllister during a tour of Michigan in 2014 as well as being a featured soloist on Artie Shaw's "Clarinet Concerto" during tours of Poland and Ukraine in 2017.
EDUCATION
2007 - BM, Music Performance, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
2009 - MM, Music Performance, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
2016 - Airman Leadership School, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2017 - Community College of the Air Force, Applied Science - Music
2022 - NCO Academy, McGhee Tyson ANG Base, TN
2023 - SNCO Foundations Course - Airmanship 700, Scott AFB, IL
ASSIGNMENTS
Sep 2011 - Nov 2011: Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
Dec 2011 - June 2015: USAF Band of Mid-America, Scott Air Force Base, IL
June 2015 - Aug 2020: US Air Forces in Europe Band, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Aug 2020 - present: USAF Band of Mid-America, Scott Air Force Base, IL
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Basic Training Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Organization Award, one oak leaf cluster
Good Conduct Medal, two oak leaf clusters
AF Achievement Medal
AF Commendation Medal, two oak leaf clusters
Long Overseas Tour Ribbon, one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2012 - New Musician of the Year, USAF Band of Mid-America
2013 - Airman of the Year, USAF Band of Mid-America
2013 - Public Affairs Award for Communication Excellence - Jr Enlisted (E1-E4), AMC/PA
2017 - Musician of the Second Quarter, USAFE Band
2022 - Public Affairs Award for Communication Excellence - NCO, USAF Band of Mid-America
2023 - NCO of the Second Quarter, USAF Band of Mid-America
2023 - Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award - Jr Enlisted (E1-E6), AMC/PA
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class 27 Sep 2011
Senior Airman 27 Jan 2014
Staff Sergeant 1 Apr 2016
Technical Sergeant 1 Nov 2021