Michael KobitoArtist Affiliate: Conductor
Michael Kobito is an educator, musician, and speaker from Cartersville, GA. He currently serves as the Conductor and Musical Director of the Georgia Brass Band, Associate Conductor of Tara Winds, and Conductor of the Emory Wind Ensemble at Emory University. He also works with the Bartow County School System, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and the Georgia Department of Education supporting educators and students to make the most of their gifts.
Kobito has proudly been the recipient of seven National Band Association Citations of Excellence and has been named an AP Teacher with Distinction after his AP Music Theory Class had a 100% participation and 100% pass rate. Additionally, Kobito was named the 2022 Teacher of the Year for Woodland High School and the Bartow County School System and was the 2023 Georgia Teacher of the Year. As the 2023 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Kobito served on the State Board of Education, the Board for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, delivered keynote addresses across the state, and represented Georgia education all across the nation.
Bands under his direction have performed at multiple national and international events including the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C., the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the Southeastern United States Honor Band Festival, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC, UGA’s Janfest Honor Band Festival, and in the 2023 London New Year's Day Parade. Groups under his direction have also earned acclaim in performances in La Croix-Valmer in France, at the International Euphonium and Tuba Conference, at the Southeastern Brass Band Championships, in Carnegie Hall in New York City, at the NBA/CBDNA Southeastern Conference in Tampa, Florida in February of 2026, and the Georgia Brass Band recently earned First Place in the First Section at the 2026 North American Brass Band Association Championships.
Kobito serves as a clinician and adjudicator across the state providing leadership clinics, adjudicating events, and inspiring other educators to maximize their outreach. Ensembles under his direction have commissioned and premiered multiple works, performed on stages all over the United States and in Europe, and have shared the stage with artists such as Phil Smith, Dr. Brandon Craswell, Phil Broome, Dr. Adam Frey, Roland Szentpali, Joshua Williams, and more.
