Born in North Carolina, Michael has been playing the trumpet since the age of 12. As a soloist, Michael has performed recitals throughout the Midwest and Southern United States. Michael has been the recipient of multiple concerto competition prizes and has been a guest recitalist for the Hickory Humanity for the Arts Symposium as well as the Hickory Music Society. In 2002, Michael was selected as a semi-finalist in the National Trumpet Competition, held at George Mason University.


Michael’s primary musical training has been in orchestral trumpet playing. Mr. Averett has performed with many city, regional, and international orchestras. Michael has served as 3rd trumpet with the Columbus Philharmonic, 3rd trumpet with the Marion Philharmonic, and section trumpet with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Michael has appeared with the Orquestra Sinfonicia of Monterrey, Mexico, the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Western-Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, JCC Symphony Orchestra, Hickory Choral Society and the Fort Wayne Bach Collegium. Michael has also performed with orchestras from The University of Louisville and Ball State University.


In addition to his orchestral career, Michael has performed with a variety of other ensembles such as the Derby City Brass Band, Old Crown Brass Band, Louisville Metro Big Band, America’s Hometown Band, Unifour Brass Quintet, Ball State Faculty Brass Quintet, and the Central Indiana Brass. In the fall of 2008, Michael was honored to become a member of the current North American brass band champions, the Fountain City Brass Band, based in Kansas City, MO. As repiano cornet, Michael was proud to have been a part of the 2008 U.S. Open Brass band Championships and the 2009 North American Brass Band Championships, both of which were won once again by the Fountain City Brass Band.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts in Trumpet Performance from Lenoir-Rhyne University as well as a Master’s of Music in Trumpet Performance from Ball State University. Michael is currently working on his dissertation “Trumpet Excerpts from the Wind Band Literature” to complete his Doctoral of Arts degree in Trumpet Performance. Michael has attended Freedom High School, Lenoir-Rhyne University, The University of Louisville, and Ball State University. His teachers have included, Tim Philips, Dan Kiser, Michael Tunnell, Herbert Korsellman and Paul Everett.
In July of 2008, Michael accepted the position of Music Lecturer in Trumpet at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.