Michael Pickering is the Music and Entertainment Entrepreneurship Program Director and the Director of Music at the Community College of Aurora. He is now in his fourth year of being at the college, with the first three spent building the curriculum for the MEE program. Originally from West Virginia. Pickering grew up in the circus, with is family performing a trampoline act. His uncle is Be-Bop and Jazz Organist, Les Strand, so it was only natural that he transition into music from circus acts. His preferred instrument is the keyboard, but he has strong vocals and dabbles in the brass instruments, percussion and guitars. He recently graduated Suma Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music. Portrait by Philip B. Poston/The Sentinel

Michael Pickering is the Music and Entertainment Entrepreneurship Program Director and the Director of Music at the Community College of Aurora. He is now in his fourth year of being at the college, with the first three spent building the curriculum for the MEE program. Originally from West Virginia. Pickering grew up in the circus, with is family performing a trampoline act. His uncle is Be-Bop and Jazz Organist, Les Strand, so it was only natural that he transition into music from circus acts. His preferred instrument is the keyboard, but he has strong vocals and dabbles in the brass instruments, percussion and guitars.
He recently graduated Suma Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music.
Portrait by Philip B. Poston/The Sentinel