MICHAEL BERKOWITZ brings his professional experience and personal charisma to concert stages in what reviews call “a model of high quality conducting.”

Berkowitz has performed as drummer for Henry Mancini, Liza Minnelli, Michael Crawford, Billy Joel, Sting, Elton John and Bette Midler and has conducted for Marvin Hamlisch, Roberta Flack, Michael Feinstein and Sarah Brightman. He has lead numerous orchestras including the Boston and Cincinnati Pops, and the London, Pittsburgh and National symphonies. For the past four seasons, Berkowitz has been the principal pops conductor of the Carolina Pops and in 2008-09 begins a similar position with the Santa Rosa Symphony.

This season, Berkowitz appears with the Oregon, New Mexico, Hartford and Paducah symphonies, the Louisiana Philharmonic as well as orchestras across Europe. He is featured on recordings with The New York Philharmonic, The Cincinnati Pops and countless original cast albums, movies, jingles and television performances, including The Academy Awards, The Tonight Show, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, Live from Lincoln Center and concerts at the White House.

Berkowitz has worked such Broadway shows as Evita, Pacific Overtures, The Tap Dance Kid, Do Re Mi and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. He has been heard from New York’s Carnegie Hall on such projects as A Sondheim Tribute, My Favorite Broadway, Anyone Can Whistle and An Evening with Betty Buckley.

After studying music at Indiana University, he toured with Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams and Henry Mancini. Mancini persuaded him to move to Los Angeles, where he became one of the city’s busiest studio musicians, working with stars such as Gloria Estefan, Linda Ronstadt, Ringo Starr, Helen Reddy, Seals and Crofts and The Association.

Since July 2007, Berkowitz has renewed his long musical association with Liza Minnelli, taking over as her full time music director and drummer. Upcoming appearances with Minnelli include tours of the U.K., Moscow, Mexico, Spain and in October, a tour of eight of the great Opera houses of Italy. When not performing with orchestras, he enjoys making music as the leader of the Gene Krupa Orchestra.

Berkowitz is married to the lovely Deirdre. They enjoy their three children, two grandchildren and evenings trying to beat their best bowling scores on their Nintendo Wii.