Dr. Michael Ketner has served as the Director of Performance for the Music Department at the University of Pennsylvania since 2003. Prior to his time at Penn, he enjoyed a varied career as an educator, performer, conductor, and music administrator. After receiving degrees from Penn State University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he earned the Doctor of Music Arts degree with the Performer’s Certificate in Trombone from the Eastman School of Music. As a performer, Dr. Ketner has served as Principal Trombonist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble on two tours of Japan, and he has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, and Princeton Festival Orchestras. He has appeared as a soloist with Eastman School Symphony Orchestra and the Mansfield (PA) University Wind Ensemble.
As a conductor, Dr. Ketner is the Music Director of the Penn Wind Ensemble. He has also led the Eastman Trombone Choir, including performances at the New York Brass Conference and the Eastern Trombone Workshop. He has served as the Guest Conductor for the Lancaster-Lebanon County Band Festival’s Symphonic Band in 2005, and in January, 2018, he conducted the Pennsylvania District 12 Band Festival at Marple Newtown High School. Prior to joining the Music Department staff at Penn, he held positions on the faculties of Mansfield University (PA) and Prairie View A&M University (TX).