Michael Aarons
Michael Aarons is an American guitarist and music coordinator based in New York City. He is the founder of the Broadway music-coordination firm M² Music.
Early life and education
Aarons was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, graduating in 1994 from the Instrumental Music program. While at Ellington he studied under saxophonist and educator Davey Yarborough.Aarons moved to New York City in 1994 to study at the Manhattan School of Music, where he later completed his Bachelor of Music degree.
Career
Guitarist
On Broadway, Aarons has performed as a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in numerous pit orchestras. His Broadway performer credits include Frozen, Kinky Boots, Evita, Godspell, Baby It’s You!, Green Day’s American Idiot, Memphis, 9 to 5: The Musical, Grease, High Fidelity, and Laugh Whore.As a Broadway guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Aarons has performed in productions including Frozen, Kinky Boots, Evita, Godspell, Baby It’s You!, Green Day’s American Idiot, Memphis, 9 to 5: The Musical, Grease, High Fidelity, and Laugh Whore, with additional guitar arrangements credited for Next to Normal.
Music coordination
Aarons’ music-coordination credits span Broadway and touring productions including Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Jagged Little Pill, & Juliet, The Wiz, Sunset Boulevard, Harmony, How to Dance in Ohio, and The Heart of Rock and Roll; recent listings also include BOOP! The Musical and Real Women Have Curves: The Musical.These credits are corroborated by official production pages for The Wiz and The Heart of Rock and Roll, Center Theatre Group’s production of & Juliet, and MCC Theater listings for The Wrong Man, Only Gold, and Space Dogs.
Major-outlet reviews also carry his credit lines, including Variety on Pretty Woman: The Musical, Escape to Margaritaville, and Superhero, and Talkin’ Broadway on How to Dance in Ohio.
M² Music
In 2015, Aarons co-founded M² Music, a Broadway music-coordination and orchestra-contracting company that staffs Broadway shows, national tours, film and television scoring projects, and concerts. The firm administers payroll and budget services, including preparation of AFM contracts, compliance with union agreements, and employer-of-record functions such as liability insurance, tax filings, and benefit remittance.A Knack platform case study describes M² Music’s custom web application for managing its musician database, onboarding, scheduling, quotes, and payroll outputs.
Broadway music-coordination credits (complete list per IBDB)
All Out: Comedy About AmbitionMamma Mia!Real Women Have Curves: The MusicalPirates! The Penzance MusicalSMASHStephen Sondheim’s Old FriendsBOOP! The MusicalAll In: Comedy About LoveSwept AwayElfTammy FayeSunset BoulevardThe Heart of Rock and RollThe WizHow to Dance in OhioHarmony& JulietFlying Over SunsetDiana, The MusicalJagged Little PillMoulin Rouge! The MusicalBe More ChillRuben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion ShowPretty Woman: The MusicalHead Over HeelsFrozenEscape to MargaritavilleSpongeBob SquarePantsPrince of BroadwayAnastasiaWar PaintDear Evan HansenThe Color PurpleSchool of Rock – The MusicalHamiltonAmazing Grace Honeymoon in Vegas AladdinBroadway Frozen – guitars; octave mandolinKinky Boots – guitarEvita – guitarGodspell – guitarsBaby It’s You! – guitarGreen Day’s American Idiot – guitar 1Memphis – guitars9 to 5: The Musical – guitarsGrease – guitars High Fidelity – guitars; sitar; banjo; mandolinLaugh Whore – guitarNext to Normal – additional guitar arrangements