Michelle Amato

Bio

Michelle Amato is a busy vocalist and educator, whose performance opportunities have taken her from posh, intimate clubs to The Hollywood Bowl and Radio City Music Hall. She most recently was a featured soloist in Cirque Du Soleil’s “La Nouba,” and with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, with whom she toured Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and across the Atlantic on Crystal Cruise Line. Michelle has performed and recorded with an incredibly diverse array of artists, including Liza Minnelli, Quincy Jones, Al Green, Sandi Patty, Jon Secada, Michael McDonald, Donna Summer, Jon Hendricks, Celia Cruz, Rita Marley, and world renowned composer Yanni. Her solo and background vocal work can be heard on his “Ethnicity” cd and “Yanni Live” dvd. Michelle’s debut cd, “I'm All Smiles” features jazz trumpeter Ira Sullivan, and is available on all platforms. She performs regularly at clubs, private parties, corporate events and music festivals around the country. Michelle continues to love her orchestral work, and has been a featured soloist with The Memphis Symphony, The Sunrise Pops, The Baton Rouge Symphony, The Sarasota Orchestra, The Orlando Philharmonic, and recently with The Macon Pops, performing a concert of all Gershwin music as well as a concert for the Pitt. State Jazz Festival, both with award-winning multi instrumentalist and composer, Matt Catingub.

Staying extremely active in the recording studio as a singer and contractor, some of her clients include The Walt Disney Company, Royal Caribbean, Costa, Regent, and Carnival Cruise Lines, McDonald’s, Warner Brothers, Alfred, and Shawnee Press Publications, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Tournament of Roses Parade, and numerous private artists and production companies throughout the world. She has enjoyed being a member of several professional vocal groups, including Walt Disney World's Voices of Liberty and American Vybe.

Michelle’s Master’s Degree from the prestigious University of Miami School of Music has created great demand for her expertise as an educator and clinician. She has coached vocalists for Cirque Du Soleil, Walt Disney World, and has been an adjunct professor at The University of Miami, The University of Memphis, Rollins College, and The University of North Florida. Michelle has conducted master classes and clinics for The International Association of Jazz Educators, Appalachian State University, Grammy In The Schools, and The North American Cultural Center in San Jose, Costa Rica. Her adjudicating duties have included The National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts, The Florida Vocal Association, Orlando Fest, and various jazz and choral societies.

Michelle was recently invited to this year's Jazz Educator's Network Conference in New Orleans to sing in the sight-reading ensemble and adjudicate college vocal ensembles.