“Michelle Margiotta is a composer of real heart. Every note is a passionate response to the need of the music. It is pure pleasure to work with someone who cares so much.”
There are few composers who can bring to life both large symphonic works and simple singer/songwriter style melodies with equal finesse, but Dr. Michelle Margiotta continues to accomplish just that.
When TV personality/singer/songwriter and four-time Emmy Award winner, Kathie Lee Gifford envisioned a contemporary oratorio of scripture set to music, she collaborated with writers such as David Pomeranz, Nicole C. Mullen, Sal Oliveri, Brett James, Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony.
Gifford then turned to Michelle Margiotta to orchestrate four pieces of The Way. (The Overture, The God of the Other Side, The God of the How and When, and The Finale).
These orchestrations, recorded by the Nashville Symphony Recording Orchestra, brought a visual journey through the passion and emotions of the Biblical Scriptures. The Way blends a cast of music artists such as Nicole C Mullen, Danny Gokey, Kathy Troccoli, Larry Gatlin, and BeBe Winans. Gifford’s moving narrations intertwine throughout these epic songs, expressing well-known persons of the Bible.
Dr. Michelle Margiotta has a D.M.A. in Music Composition and teaches both at the collegiate level and privately.
Margiotta’s teaching style is distinguished by her passion for bringing students to an understanding of the elements of music theory by simplifying content so that learners from all backgrounds are engaged.
Commercial Music Elements is a creative and practical series aimed at developing excellent musicianship in all musicians. These texts present a uniquely integrated approach to the language of music and its connection between commercial music theory and aural skills. The melodic elements contained within this series include the modes of the major scale (Church modes); blues, pentatonic, altered, and synthetic scales; and chord-scale theory. The rhythmic concepts include foundational Afro-Latin rhythmic patterns as well as common rhythmic jazz and pop grooves. The harmonic aspects include chord extensions, the Nashville Number System, ii-V-I progressions, closed and spread (open) voicings, and reharmonization techniques. Thorough mastery of these skills over time not only builds musicianship but increases musical competence, courage, and confidence, empowering learners with freedom that fuels creativity in the artist, performer, composer, songwriter, and more.
“I’m forever indebted to the extraordinary Kathy Troccoli for introducing me to Dr. Moosh! Getting to know Michelle Margiotta, aka Moosh, and work with her has been one of the greatest creative and professional experiences of my life. Her talent is world class and so is her heart.”
