Mike Masterson began teaching in the Music Department at Northwest College, Powell, Wyoming, in 1977, and retired at the end of this 2009-2010 school year after 33 years. He served as Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Division for 10 years and also taught Music History I & II , Introduction to Music, The History and Culture of Rock n Roll, and was involved with the Studio Singers Jazz Choir. A trombonist, Dr. Masterson cliniced and adjudicated in both vocal and instrumental areas in five regional states. Mike organized the vocal side of the Northwest College Jazz Festival and helped start the All State Vocal Jazz program serving Wyoming high school students.
In February 2003 he presented a paper on "Music is Life" at the All-Northwest Music Educator's conference in Portland, Oregon. In 2006 he presented a General Session at the Wyoming All State Conference: "The Times They Are a Changing": A Practical Guide to Ways that Cultural Studies Enhances Music Education.
His whole family is involved in education. His wife, Pam, taught at Westside Elementary School in Powell. Their daughter, Melina, graduated from Boston College in 2007 with a Masters Degree in Italian Studies. Their son, Anthony, graduated in 2008 from Kenyon College in Ohio. He focused on Italian, English, writing, and general education course and also broadcast games over the internet for their baseball team. He enjoyed that so much that he interned at Fox Sports in Denver to learn about the sports business. In the summer of 2009 he broadcast minor league baseball games for the Potomac Nationals, a Single A team just south of Washington D. C.
