meet Michael

Michael Patrick Walker is an award-winning composer, lyricist, writer and musician who The New York Times hailed as "a skilled songwriter" and The Huffington Post dubbed one of today's "must-know songwriters”.  He has been honored with an Outer Critics’ Circle Award and multiple Drama Desk nominations for his theatrical writing and his songs have been performed and recorded by a diverse group of artists including Chita Rivera, Kelli O’Hara, Andy Karl, Telly Leung and many more.  As a musician, he has performed extensively both on and off Broadway as well as at Carnegie Hall, on PBS’ Great Performances and around the world. 

Michael’s stage musicals include: being theo (book, music and lyrics by Walker), Dog and Pony (with book writer Rick Elice, world premiere at The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego), Altar Boyz (with co-composer/lyricist Gary Adler and book writer Kevin Del Aguila, Outer Critics Circle Award Winner, Best Off. Broadway Musical, 9th-longest running Off Broadway musical of all time, running for 2,032 performances) and the in-development Cupid’s Error (book, music and lyrics by Walker).  For television, Michael composed for Nick JR’s Olivia as well as serving as the lead composer, arranger and musical director for The Disney Channel’s Emmy-nominated Johnny and the Sprites, for which he wrote nearly 20 songs during the show’s three year run.  His recordings include: Out of Context: The Songs of Michael Patrick Walker (co-producer, Yellow Sound Label), So Much To Say: Songs For Everytown (Broadway Records), the Altar Boyz cast album (Ghostlight Records), the Johnny and the Sprites album (co-producer, Disney Records) and several editions of BC/EFA’s Carols For A Cure (Rock-It Science Records).  

Also enjoying a parallel career as a theatre musician, Michael most recently music directed and conducted the world premiere of UnMasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at Papermill Playhouse, one of several times he has worked directly with the prolific composer.  Michael’s Broadway and Off Broadway credits include: Frozen, Aladdin, Sunset Boulevard (assistant conductor, 2017 revival starring Glenn Close), Avenue Q (music director/conductor), Cats, If/Then, Wicked, The Tin Pan Alley Rag (music director/conductor), tick, tick…BOOM!, The Fantasticks and many more.  Concert Performances: Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center and more including 10 amazing years as associate music director and pianist for the incomparable Chita Rivera.  

Michael is a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University who currently splits his time between New York City and the worlds populated by the constantly singing characters in his head.