Born September 4, 1975 in Santa Clara, CA to Margaret and Augusto Amador.
1981 (age 6) began piano lessons
1987 (age 12) first composition
1997 composed score for Woyzeck theater production, composed/performed music to lyrics in Caryl Churchill’s play , Vinegar Tom
1998 composed score for Antigone theater production, graduated USC
2000 began studying under jazz pianist/arranger Don Haas (Stan Getz Orchestra)
2001 “Composition” (No Label Records) debut album release of Michelle’s original songs
March 26, 2002 “Peace Prayer” (instrumental composition) premiered by
Buster Williams’ Something More quartet at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, CA
October 2004 Accepted as of 60 (out of 2,000 to apply) to participate in Red Bull Music Academy
Featured artist in Academy’s documentary “Inside Out” collaboratively created 3 tracks at the Academy: “In & Out” featuring DJ Eurok, “Just You and I” featuring DJ Eurok, and “Al Ghetto” featuring Roma All Stars and lyrics by DJ Tabu
September 2004 commissioned to compose/perform for hmDance 10th Anniversary performance at ODC Theater, San Francisco
Press review “Silken-voiced Michelle Amador” (SF Chronicle)
March 2005 “Michelle Amador & the True Believers” (No Label Records)
sophomore album release
August 2005 Debut as Artistic Director/Creator/Featured performer for “Jazz Beyond” at the San Jose Jazz Festival
July 2006 “Higher” and “He & She” produced by Zed Bias
released on Rainbow Soul Vol. 1 (Phuture Lounge Records)
“Higher” featured on Gilles Petereson’s Weekly World 60
September 17, 2007 release of “Because of You” produced by Zed
Bias with remixes by Osunlade & Atjazz (Sick Trumpet Records)
January 2007 “Are We?”
remix by Tony Nwachukwu
re-released on Freshly Composted 2
(Compost Records)
September 13, 2007 premiere of visual/sound art installation collaboration with Deborah Aschheim, Lisa Mezzacappa, and Katy Stephen at UNR, Nevada
Summer 2008 UK album release: HIGHER
April 18, 2008 Japan release of HIGHER (Sick Trumpet Records/InPartMaint)
May 2005 “Descension into Madness - Part 3” collaboration
with Patrick Cress’ Telepathy released on Meditation Realization (Odd Shape Case Records)
August 2001 premiere performance with hmdance of “I Could Be In Any Room” commissioned by hmDance
August 23 & 24, 2002 premiere performance with hmDance of “Belinda’s Hand” (arrangement of H. Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament) commissioned by hmDance, performed at the Cowell Theater, San Francisco, CA
October 2006 “Home” & “Are We?” collaboration with
Karma released on LateNight DayDreaming (Compost Records)
September 2006 “Are We?” remix by Tony Nwachukwu released on
Karma’s “Father, Father” EP (Compost Records) then featured on Straight No Chaser Fall 2006 charts
1999 began solo vocal jazz study with Roger Letson and jazz piano, composition and arranging with father, Augusto A. Amador
1989-1993 attended Menlo High School, studied choral voice with Linda Jordan, and acting
with Steve Gill & Kieri Merrill
...and a little bit about the near future :)
1996 (age 21) wrote & composed first and only full-length musical, “American God”