Michael Thrasher currently serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies at the Florida State University College of Music. Previously, he served as Director of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Texas at Tyler, and also held teaching and administrative positions at North Dakota State University, North Central Texas College, and in public school music education.

As a researcher, Thrasher has presented papers and lectures at conferences of the College Music Society, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, Texas Music Educators Association, and at conventions of the International Clarinet Association in Ohio, Georgia, Sweden and Spain.  His work has been published in various journals, including the Journal of Performing Arts Leadership in Higher Education, The Clarinet, Saxophone Symposium, Medical Problems of Performing Artists, and the NACWPI Journal. 

As a performing clarinetist, Thrasher has performed with the Shreveport Symphony (LA), Fargo-Moorhead Opera and Symphony (ND), Texarkana Symphony (TX), and the Longview Symphony (TX).  He has appeared as a recitalist and chamber musician in Texas, California, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Colorado.  He has been a clinician at state music educator conferences in Texas, Minnesota and North Dakota.

Thrasher holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Northwestern State University, and both the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of North Texas.  As a doctoral student at UNT in the 1990s, he became involved with researching medical issues of woodwind musicians.  His work with Dr. Chesky resulted in several published reports and conference presentations including the first epidemiologic studies of clarinetists, saxophonists, and double-reed performers.

Publications

1. Thrasher, Michael, and Kris S. Chesky.  “Prevalence of Medical Problems Among Double Reed Performers.”  Medical Problems of Performing Artists 16, no. 4 (December 2001): 157-160.
2. Thrasher, Michael, and Kris S. Chesky.  “Medical Problems of Saxophonists: A Comparison of Physical and Psychosocial Dysfunction among Classical and Non-Classical Performers.”  The Saxophone Symposium 24 (1999): 77-84.
3. Thrasher, Michael, and Kris S. Chesky.  “Medical Problems of Saxophonists: A Comparison of Physical and Psychosocial Dysfunction among Classical and Non-Classical Performers.”  Texas Music Education Research 1999 (1999): 95-101.
4. Thrasher, Michael, and Kris S. Chesky.  “Medical Problems of Clarinetists: Results of the UNT Musicians Health Survey.”  The Clarinet 25, no. 4 (July-August 1998): 24-27.
5. Thrasher, Michael, and Kris S. Chesky.  “Medical Problems of Clarinetists: Preliminary Results of the UNT Musicians Health Survey.”  Texas Music Education Research 1998 (1998): 69-74.

Presentations

1. April 12, 2003: Presented a lecture entitled “Medical Problems of Saxophonists: A Comparison of Physical and Psychosocial Dysfunction Among Classical and Non-Classical Performers” at the regional conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota.
2. February 11, 2000: Presented “Medical Problems of Double Reed Performers” in a research poster session, Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention, San Antonio, Texas.
3. February 5, 1999: Presented “Medical Problems of Saxophonists: A Comparison of Physical and Psychosocial Dysfunction among Classical and Non-Classical Performers” in a research poster session, Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention, San Antonio, Texas.
4.  April 17, 1998: Presented “Medical Problems of Clarinetists: Results of the UNT Musicians Health Survey” in a research poster session, Music Educators National Conference, Phoenix, Arizona.
5.  February 13, 1998: Presented “Medical Problems of Clarinetists: An Internet Survey of Musicians’ Health” in a research poster session, Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention, San Antonio, Texas.