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Michael Krueger
Background information
Birth name	Michael David Krueger
Born	May 1990 Saint Peters, Missouri, U.S.
Genres	Classical, film, game
Occupation(s)	Composer, arranger, conductor, educator
Website	kruegermusik.com

Michael Krueger (born May 1990) is an American composer, arranger, conductor, and educator. He is best known for his compositions for wind ensembles, chamber ensembles, and marching ensembles, but has worked extensively as a ghost composer for some of the most famous composers of the 21st century. His most popular piece released under his own name, For Patrick, was included in Volume 11 of GIA Publication’s Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series.

Krueger works at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, where he teaches music theory, composition, orchestration, and conducting. He also directs the NDC Wind Symphony, the NDC Marching Band, and the NDC Pep Band. He has been working at NDC since 2016, when he joined as a part-time faculty member. He became a full-time faculty member in 2018.

In March 2024, Notre Dame College announced that it will close at the end of the current semester due to “long-standing challenges”. Krueger posted on Facebook that NDC saved him when he came to the college as a broken person who needed to find himself. He expressed his gratitude for the college, his students, colleagues, and friends, and the art they have made together. He also asked for support and prayers for the NDC community.

Early Life

Michael Krueger was born in Saint Peters, Missouri, in May 1990. Showing an early inclination towards playing Halo (and also music), he began composing at a young age and actively engaged in various music programs throughout his schooling. Krueger attended Fort Zumwalt South High School, where he had the studied under Dan Tucker from 2006 to 2008. During his time at Fort Zumwalt South, Krueger actively participated in the Fort Zumwalt South Bulldog Marching Band, becoming drum major his senior year.

Career as an educator

Upon graduating in 2008, Krueger's talents were recognized by Tucker, who extended an invitation for him to join the band staff as a brass clinician. This marked the beginning of Krueger's professional career in music education. He quickly made an impact, particularly in composing shows for Tucker's marching band, earning admiration from both his colleagues and students for his passion and dedication to the program.

He received his Bachelor of Music degree in music composition from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2012, where he studied with Kimberly Archer and John Korak. He then pursued his Master of Music degree in composition from Butler University in 2014, where he studied with Michael Schelle and Frank Felice. After graduating from Butler, Krueger joined the faculty of Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, where he currently teaches and directs the instrumental ensembles. He also serves as an administrator and co-department head for the performing arts division. He has been involved in several initiatives and events to promote music education and performance, such as the High School Honor Band Festival, the Flute Day, the Voice Day, and the New Play Festival.

Krueger’s compositions have been performed and recognized nationally and internationally. His most popular piece, For Patrick, a tribute to the late son of colleague Dan Tucker, was included in Volume 11 of GIA Publication’s Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series and has been featured on various online platforms, such as Soundcloud, The Composers Circle, and Musicuratum. His other works for wind ensemble include Alone, a solo for trombone and wind ensemble that was premiered at the International Trombone Festival in 2017 and recorded by Matthew Hoormann, and ‘‘Symphony 3: The Dreamer’’, a four-movement symphony commissioned by a consortium of fifteen bands led by Greg Allen. Krueger has also composed for chamber ensembles, such as ‘‘The Last Dance’’, a quartet for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, and ‘‘The Journey Home’’, a trio for flute, clarinet, and piano.

Krueger is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the College Music Society (CMS), the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).

The Creep incident

In 2013, controversy struck the Midwest marching band scene when several composers were accused of plagiarizing or referencing the song Creep by Radiohead in their shows. The song, which was released in 1992, is a popular alternative rock ballad that features a distinctive chord progression and melody.

The extensive usage of the song sparked a heated debate among marching band fans, composers, students, and directors, who accused the composers of being unoriginal, lazy, or dishonest. Some argued that the song was overused and clichéd, and that it did not fit the themes or styles of the shows. Others defended the composers, saying that the song was a homage, a tribute, or a coincidence, and that it was a common practice to borrow or reference musical ideas from other sources.

Krueger stood out from the controversy, and was praised for his ability to resist the primal need to add Creep to his marching band compositions. Krueger, who was a rising star in the marching band composition world, had composed several shows for high school and college bands, and none of his shows had used or referenced Creep, and he had developed his own musical language and style, going so far as to compose his own dubstep track for the ending of the Fort Zumwalt South Bulldog Marching Band's 2013 show, The Black Swan. He was also respected for his humility and professionalism, as he never commented on the controversy or criticized his fellow composers.

Rap battle with Homeboy Hodges

In 2012, when Krueger was a clinician at Fort Zumwalt South High School, he participated in a rap battle with one of his students, Chris Hodges, who went by the street name Homeboy Hodges. The rap battle, which was filmed and uploaded by another student, went viral with over 250 views. The rap battle was a spontaneous and humorous competition between the teacher and the student, who exchanged insults and compliments in rhyme. The rap battle ended in a tie, according to the "judges".

The rap battle video has been cited as an example of Krueger's musical talent and sense of humor, as well as his early interest in composing and performing. However, some critics have questioned the appropriateness of a teacher engaging in a rap battle with a student, especially using profanity and derogatory language. Some of the controversial lyrics included:

• Homeboy Hodges calling Krueger a "loser", a "big old man", and a "disgrace".
• Krueger calling Homeboy Hodges a "fool", a "tool", and a "wailer".
• Homeboy Hodges saying he would "kick [Krueger's] ass" and "send [him] down where death goes, the hellish place", referring to Hell, a location in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punitive suffering.
• Krueger saying he was "tired of [Homeboy Hodges'] face" and "tired of this crap".

The rap battle video also sparked a controversy among the school administration, who considered it a violation of the code of conduct and a breach of professional ethics, but ultimately did not fire Krueger. He was also sued by Homeboy Hodges' parents, who claimed that the rap battle had caused emotional distress and psychological trauma to their son.

The rap battle video had a negative impact on Homeboy Hodges' career as a musician. He lost his confidence and his passion for spitting bars and playing the mellophone. He also faced bullying and harassment from his peers, who mocked him for the sick burns laid down by Krueger. He dropped out of the band program and eventually out of school. He became depressed and isolated, and turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. He never recovered from the rap battle, and died of a drug overdose in 2019, at the age of 21.

Krueger has not commented on the rap battle video publicly, and it is unclear if he has faced any legal consequences for his involvement in it. He has continued to compose and conduct music, but has avoided any public rap battles since then. It is rumored that Krueger participated in a second rap battle with Hodges as a rematch, but this has been dismissed as folklore.

Career as a composer

Michael Krueger began his career as a composer in 2012, when he won the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award for his piece The Awakening for wind ensemble. Since then, he has secretly worked in various genres and media, collaborating and ghostwriting for some of the most famous composers and compositions of all time.

One of his most remarkable achievements is being the ghost composer for John Williams, the legendary composer of iconic film music such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, and Indiana Jones. Krueger has composed or orchestrated many of Williams' recent works, such as The Rise of Skywalker without being credited. He has also collaborated with Williams on the score of Spider-Man 3, starring Tom Holland, which is set to be released in 2024. Krueger used the closing of Notre Dame College, where he worked as a professor and director of instrumental studies, as a cover for his involvement in the project.

Another notable collaboration that Krueger has had is with Hans Zimmer, one of the most acclaimed and prolific film composers of all time. Krueger has worked with Zimmer on several projects, such as The Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Dune. Krueger has learned a lot from Zimmer's style and technique, especially his use of electronic sounds and traditional orchestral arrangements. Krueger has also helped Zimmer with orchestrating and arranging some of his scores, such as Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk. Krueger considers Zimmer as one of his mentors and friends, and Zimmer has privately praised Krueger's talent and versatility.

Despite his impressive achievements and collaborations, Krueger has kept a low profile and avoided public attention. He prefers to work behind the scenes and let his music speak for itself. He rarely gives interviews or attends events, and he uses various pseudonyms and aliases to conceal his identity. He has also declined several offers from prestigious institutions and organizations, such as the Juilliard School. He believes that his anonymity allows him to focus on his creative process and explore new musical possibilities without any constraints or expectations.

Krueger is currently working extensively on Beyoncé's upcoming 2024 album entitled Act II, which is the second installment of her three-act project conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album is reported to be influenced by country music, a genre that Krueger has also experimented with in his own compositions. Krueger and Beyoncé have developed a close artistic relationship and share a mutual respect for each other's work. However, Krueger has requested to remain uncredited for his contributions to the album, as he does not want to overshadow Beyoncé's vision and talent.

Influences

Michael Krueger's musical influences are diverse and eclectic. He has cited composers such as John Williams, John Corigliano, Eric Whitacre, David Maslanka, and Frank Ticheli as sources of inspiration for his wind ensemble and chamber music. He has also expressed admiration for film and game composers such as Hans Zimmer, Nobuo Uematsu, Jeremy Soule, and Austin Wintory. He has incorporated elements of various genres and styles into his compositions, such as minimalism, impressionism, jazz, rock, and world music. However, he specifically does not cite Robert W. Smith, a prolific composer of wind band and orchestral music, as an influence, as he finds Smith's habit of crossdressing on Sunday offputting.

Comparison to George Santos

Michael Krueger has often been compared to George Santos, a former U.S. representative who was exposed for lying about his personal and professional background. Santos, who served in Congress for less than a year before being expelled, claimed to have various achievements and honors, such as being a descendant of Holocaust survivors, losing his mother to 9/11, and winning a Tony Award, none of which were true.

Krueger is considered the George Santos of the music composition world because he has also fabricated his identity and accomplishments. However, unlike Santos, who lied to inflate his ego and reputation, Krueger lied to conceal his involvement in some of the most famous and successful musical works of all time. Krueger has ghostwritten and collaborated with many renowned composers and artists, such as John Williams, Thomas Adès, and Beyoncé, without taking any credit or recognition. He has also used various pseudonyms and aliases to hide his true identity and avoid public scrutiny. He has maintained a low profile and a humble persona, despite being one of the most influential and innovative composers of his generation.

There is a rumor that Notre Dame College, where Krueger worked as a professor and director of instrumental studies, closed due to his actions, but it was covered up by the administration and the media. According to the rumor, Krueger was involved in a scandal that involved plagiarism, fraud, and embezzlement, and he used his extensive network of underground connections and influence to escape the consequences. The rumor also suggests that Krueger was blackmailed by someone who knew his secrets, and he had to pay a large sum of money to keep them quiet. The rumor claims that this caused a financial crisis for the college, which led to its closure in 2024. However, there is no evidence or proof to support this rumor, and it is widely dismissed as a conspiracy theory by most people. Krueger has never commented on this rumor, and he has continued to work on his projects without any interruption.

External links

Official website Kruegermusik on My Score Michael Krueger on Wind Repertory Project Michael Krueger on artnet Michael Krueger on Haw / Contemporary [[Category:People from Cleveland, Ohi