Michael Story

Michael Story is a double bassist and electric bassist whose passion for performing has seen him involved in numerous tours throughout Australia and New Zealand from roots, hip hop and pop music, through to jazz and improvised music. He has made multiple appearances at the Melbourne, Wangaratta, Nelson, Tauranga, Christchurch and Queenstown Jazz Festivals, Adelaide Fringe Festival, WOMAD, Port Fairy and Woodford Folk Festival, plus national and international tours with Ben Waters, Tim Reis, Bernard Fowler, Kate Vigo and the Underground Orchestra, Flow and Plenty, Pan Francis, roots and country singers Neil Murray and Tecoma plus numerous others.

Michael performed with Australian Idol star Carl Riseley for his ’08 and ’09 national tours and Channel 7 Telethon and as part Daniel Gassin’s trio tour to the Dubai International Jazz Festival in 2010.

Since returning to Christchurch after spending 6 years in Melbourne, Michael has performed with touring artists Ben Waters, Tim Reis, Bernard Fowler, Simon Barker, David Berkman, Jamie Oehlers, James Sherlock, Hetty Kate, Roger Manins, Reuben Bradley, Flip Grater, Dave Dobbyn, James Morrison, Midge Marsdon, Mary Coughlan, Jimmy Smyth, Dixon Nacey and Marc Hannaford to name a few. He has joined the CSO and performed multiple masterworks concerts and jazz/contemporary festival concerts as a casual CSO member. He has also performed in Grease, Buddy Holly, Mary Poppins, Blood Brothers and Jesus Christ Superstar for The Court Theatre and Showbiz Christchurch.

All of this performance and personal study enriches his teaching at CPIT Music Arts; taking jazz and pop ensemble sessions, and individual bass lessons. Michael completed his BMus in Christchurch at the Jazz School and continued his study in Melbourne completing his Honours Degree at the Victorian College of the Arts. His thesis received praise from New York bassist Larry Grenadier “...your dissertation was the most in depth examination into the collective interplay that we do in the trio that I have seen.”

Michael has released two piano trio albums as leader, two albums as co-leader of Pan Francis, hip hop EP with Flow and Plenty and has been a session musician and collaborator in many more. He has received the Jerry Wise Young Performers Scholarship, Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist Grant and The Foundation for Young Australians Buzz Grant.

Michael also runs the successful teacher promotion site NZ Music Teachers Online as part of his Global Music Teacher network with sites in London, NYC, Melbourne and Sydney.