Dr. Michael N. Jacobson joined the faculty of Baylor University in 1984 and is Professor of Saxophone and Associate Dean for Operations. Before joining the Baylor Faculty, he was Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania from 1980-1984.
He is Past President of the North American Saxophone Alliance, and also acted as Region 4 Director from 1984-1994 and Membership Director from 1980-1985. Dr. Jacobson is the Texas Coordinator for the National Association of Wind and Percussion Instructors.
He holds degrees from Arizona State University (Bachelor of Music in theory and composition, and jazz performance) where he studied with Joseph Wytko; Indiana University (Master of Music in saxophone performance) where he studied with Eugene Rousseau; and the University of Texas at Austin (Doctorate of Musical Arts in performance with a jazz emphasis) where he studied with Rick Lawn, Jeff Hellmer, and Harvey Pittel. Indiana University also awarded him their prestigious Performer's Certificate.
His classical performance has taken him all over the world and earned him grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. His recording of John Harbison's San Antonio, issued in 1999 on the AUR label, was a first round Grammy Award nominee in the category of Best Instrumental Solo Performance without Orchestra. He also has solo recordings on the Equilibrium and RonCorp labels. His Mixed Company album is available. Notable composers such as Fisher Tull, Walter Hartley, Richard Willis, and Baylor's Artist-In-Residence Scott McAllister have written works for him.
He has done articles and master class projects for the Saxophone Journal, and also authored a column dealing with music technology in Jazz Player magazine from 1993-1996.
As a saxophone artist and clinician for the Yamaha Corporation, D'Addario, and the MakeMusic Corporation for both Finale and SmartMusic software, he is active as a clinician and adjudicator on a regional, national, and international scale.
