School of Music Faculty

Michael Bovenzi

Associate Professor, Saxophone and Area Coordinator, Music Theory

Dr. Michael Bovenzi teaches saxophone and serves as an instructor in music theory, computer music applications, woodwind courses and chamber music at the University of North Florida. He holds the position of Associate Professor.

As an educator, Dr. Bovenzi believes in active and engaged learning, in which students are involved in the musical decision-making process and will understand the components that make up an informed and meaningful performance. As a result, his students have won concerto competitions, MTNA events, principle chairs in All-State bands, and have had success at the graduate level. They have also successfully performed in masterclasses for important saxophone pedagogues including Claude Delangle, Dr. Fred Hemke, Jean-Michel Goury, Arno Bornkamp, Debra Richtmeyer, and Joe Lulloff. 

As a performer, Dr. Bovenzi is an active soloist of contemporary music and has performed and premiered numerous works at national meetings of the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) and the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS). His studio recording of Ed Martin’s Apparitions appears on the compact disc Wavefields, a compilation of music from the Experimental Music Studios of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Other recordings include two works by composer Gary Smart to be released on the Albany Records label, and his own debut recording to be completed later this year.

Dr. Bovenzi has performed in Bangkok, Thailand, at Mahidol University for the 15th meeting of the World Saxophone Congress. He also hosted the 2011 Region 6 conference for NASA at the University of North Florida. Recent performances included premiering works at the NASA Biennial Conference in Tempe, Arizona, and at World Saxophone Congress XVI in St. Andrews, Scotland. 

His renowned teachers have included Debra Richtmeyer, Jonathan Helton, and Joe Lulloff. Dr. Bovenzi holds the Doctorate in Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with a minor in music theory. He earned his undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Composition with honors, and a Masters degree in Music Performance from the University of Florida.

Contact: (904) 620-3846 | mbovenzi@unf.edu