Michael Hayden

Michael Hayden’s career in choral music has spanned forty years, teaching and conducting choral music at the university and public-school levels. Currently, he is retired from Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, CA, where he was Director of Choirs for thirteen years.

In 2014, Mr. Hayden was named a California Teacher of the Year. He was the second choral director to receive this distinction. In that same year, Mira Costa High School’s Music Department was named a GRAMMY Gold Signature School, one of three schools in the United States to receive this award. His choirs have sung in Carnegie Hall https://youtu.be/0mf5dO69MBs and toured to Greece, England, France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Italy singing in the International Festival of the Aegean, Notre Dame Cathedral, Chartres Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Oxford Christchurch Cathedral, Grosvenor Chapel, St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, Oude Lutherse Kerk, Cologne Cathedral, Benedictine Abbey of St. Hildegard, Strasbourg Cathedral, Sant’Agnese in Agone, The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. In 2012, the Mira Costa Vocal Ensemble was selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association Western Division Conference in Reno, Nevada and in 2015, Vocal Ensemble performed at the ACDA National Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. https://youtu.be/4NvlP6FzVD4 In 2019, his advanced treble choir, Choral Union, was one of eight choirs selected from across the state to sing at the CCDA, California Choral Directors State Conference, in San Jose, CA.

Mr. Hayden is active with GALA Choruses, Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses and has presented at their national leadership conferences and quadrennial GALA Festivals. Mr. Hayden believes anyone can learn how to sing. His passion and excellence for choral music has inspired hundreds of singers. Mr. Hayden is available to adjudicate, judge choral festivals and competitions, guest conduct, coach choruses and conductors and conduct district professional development. He can be contacted at mhmhayden@gmail.com

Michael Hayden, 2014 California Teacher of the Year
Director of Choirs, Mira Costa High School
2014 GRAMMY Gold Signature School

2014 California Teacher of the Year Award

Carnegie Hall Performance

2015 Vocal Ensemble at the ACDA Conference