Michael Giddens is a native of Alabaster, Alabama where he graduated from Thompson High School. Michael is currently a Masters student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham pursuing studies in Choral Music Education. As a part of his studies at UAB, Michael has been a member and section leader of the UAB Concert Choir. During his time with the choir, he performed on several national and international tours including performances at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Carnegie Hall in New York City, and many venues in London, the Netherlands, and Germany. As a member of the choir, Michael also performed at the 2020 Southern Region conference of the American Choral Director’s Association. Outside of school, Michael works as the Performing Arts Technical Director for the Alabaster City School system where he trains a crew of 12 high school students on sound, lighting, and stage equipment for rental purposes of the facilities.
Michael was first introduced to the barbershop art form by his high school choral director, Natalie Allen. During his freshman year, he was invited to be a member of the male barbershop group, the Harmaniacs. Michael performed with this group throughout his high school years and would spend his free time at home watching hours of barbershop quartets and choruses on YouTube. Michael also attended Harmony Explosion camps organized by the Dixie District of the Barbershop Harmony Society for five years and thoroughly enjoyed this time of immersion in barbershop. Michael took a small hiatus from barbershop as he started college, but eventually became a member of the Central Alabama Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society where he has participated in quartet and chorus competitions with his brothers from Voices of the South Chorus. Michael served as the Vice President of Music and Performance for the Central Alabama Chapter before becoming Director of Voices of the South in January 2022.
Michael also serves as Director for Harmony Hills Chorus, the Sweet Adelines chorus based in Birmingham, Alabama. Michael sees it as an incredible opportunity to direct both a men’s and women’s barbershop chorus as they are very different and rewarding in their own ways.