Mr. Boitz
Saratoga High School Performing Arts Department Chair
Michael Boitz is the Performing Arts Department Chair at Saratoga High School, Saratoga, CA, where he is in his 19th year of teaching Instrumental Music. The Saratoga High School Instrumental Music Ensembles have developed a reputation for excellence at the state, national, and international level under the leadership of Mr. Boitz. Mr. Boitz’s musical responsibilities at Saratoga High School include overseeing all aspects of the music department, involving nearly 40% of the 1,300 students enrolled at Saratoga High.
Mr. Boitz has led concert tours of Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia, performing at notable halls such as the Musikverein in Vienna, the Sydney Opera House, the Paulau de la Musica in both Valencia and Barcelona, the Peniscola Castle, and the Kursaal in San Sebastian. Under his direction, the Saratoga High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Saratoga Strings were featured performers at the World Projects Carnegie Hall Wind Band Festival in 2011. The Marching Band at Saratoga High has performed in the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade, and was the 2015 Bands of America West Coast Regional Champion. The Saratoga High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra have performed numerous times at the local and state level of the California Music Educators Association and California Band Directors Association conferences during the past 19 years, and in 2014 the Saratoga Strings were honored to perform at the Midwest International Clinic in Chicago, IL.
Mr. Boitz has been awarded the Teacher-of-the-Year by the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District, California Music Educators Association Bay Section Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Excellence in Music Education, the California Music Educators Association Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator of the Year Award, the California Music Educators Association Band Educator of the Year award, the California Music Educators Association Bay Section Educator of the Year award, and most recently has been inducted into the John Phillip Sousa Legion of Honor. He has conducted multiple High School and Junior High Honor Bands and Orchestra’s on the West Coast, presented Clinic Sessions for the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Hungary, served as Adjudicator and Clinician for multiple associations throughout the U.S., and in 2014 was honored to conduct the Indiana High School All-State Orchestra. Mr. Boitz has twice been awarded Honorary Commendations from the City of Saratoga.
Mr. Boitz completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, respectively. His teachers of greatest influence have included Mallory Thompson, Russell Pesola, J. Robert Hanson, Frank Bencriscutto, Ed Huttlin, John Lace, Mike Hiatt, Gordon Nilsen, and Peter Dahlstrom. Michael Boitz was born and raised in Anoka, MN, and is a proud graduate of Anoka High School.
Mr. Boitz has led concert tours of Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia, performing at notable halls such as the Musikverein in Vienna, the Sydney Opera House, the Paulau de la Musica in both Valencia and Barcelona, the Peniscola Castle, and the Kursaal in San Sebastian. Under his direction, the Saratoga High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Saratoga Strings were featured performers at the World Projects Carnegie Hall Wind Band Festival in 2011. The Marching Band at Saratoga High has performed in the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade, and was the 2015 Bands of America West Coast Regional Champion. The Saratoga High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra have performed numerous times at the local and state level of the California Music Educators Association and California Band Directors Association conferences during the past 19 years, and in 2014 the Saratoga Strings were honored to perform at the Midwest International Clinic in Chicago, IL.
Mr. Boitz has been awarded the Teacher-of-the-Year by the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District, California Music Educators Association Bay Section Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Excellence in Music Education, the California Music Educators Association Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator of the Year Award, the California Music Educators Association Band Educator of the Year award, the California Music Educators Association Bay Section Educator of the Year award, and most recently has been inducted into the John Phillip Sousa Legion of Honor. He has conducted multiple High School and Junior High Honor Bands and Orchestra’s on the West Coast, presented Clinic Sessions for the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Hungary, served as Adjudicator and Clinician for multiple associations throughout the U.S., and in 2014 was honored to conduct the Indiana High School All-State Orchestra. Mr. Boitz has twice been awarded Honorary Commendations from the City of Saratoga.
Mr. Boitz completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, respectively. His teachers of greatest influence have included Mallory Thompson, Russell Pesola, J. Robert Hanson, Frank Bencriscutto, Ed Huttlin, John Lace, Mike Hiatt, Gordon Nilsen, and Peter Dahlstrom. Michael Boitz was born and raised in Anoka, MN, and is a proud graduate of Anoka High School.
