Michael Martinez

Michael Martinez is a freelance trumpet player and educator based in New Orleans and the North Shore. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from New Mexico State University before completing his Master’s degree in Music Performance at Southeastern Louisiana University in May 2025. Michael is currently the Instructor of Jazz Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University where he directs the Jazz Ensembles and teaches improvisation.

As a performer, Michael is recognized for his versatility, appearing in a wide range of musical settings from classical and jazz to contemporary and commercial styles. He is an active member of several ensembles in the New Orleans area and frequently performs with groups across the region.

In addition to performing, Michael has a background in education as well, spending two years teaching in private school, where he taught K-12 music and math. Michael successfully revived the music program after its closure during the pandemic, restarting the elementary music program and creating new music groups for the upper school students. He continues to balance his passion for teaching with an active performance schedule, between directing the Jazz Ensembles at Southeastern and actively performing in New Orleans.