Michael Buck, PhD is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Norseman Band at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Previous to St. Olaf, Dr. Buck held higher education posts serving multiple roles including Coordinator of Music Education, Director of Bands, Director of Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble Director, Instrumental Music Education Professor and Chamber Music Coach at The College of St. Scholastica and Augsburg University.

Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Buck served over twenty years as a K-12 instrumental music educator in Minnesota and in two overseas American international schools in the Middle East and South Asia. His specialized areas of study include assessment/evaluation, teaching/learning pedagogy, brain research on music, and music technology.

Dr. Buck has presented peer-reviewed research projects and workshops in local, regional, national and international settings. His work includes appearances at the International Symposium of Assessment in Music Education (ISAME), the International Society for Music Education/European Association for Music in Schools (ISME/EAS), Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA), the South Asia International Schools Association (SAISA), the College Music Society/Association for Technology in Music Instruction (CMS/ATMI), the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), the Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) and the Perpich Center for the Arts. 

An active band and orchestra clinician throughout the upper midwest, Dr. Buck has led numerous festivals and workshops, and is a frequent guest conductor of regional and conference festivals.

Dr. Buck’s leadership roles include chair of the Minnesota chapter of the College Band Directors National Association (MN CBDNA), MMEA Band Vice President, MMEA All-State Band and Orchestra section coach and Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony section coach (GTCYS). 

Dr. Buck holds degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi, VanderCook College of Music and St. Olaf College in music education and conducting.