Michael Furniere, born in 1980, completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Towson University in Towson, Maryland in 2003. He has studied composition with Dr. William Kleinsasser and Professor Theophanos Dymiotes. In the spring of 2002, he was awarded with the Music Department Talent Award in composition. His music has been performed and read by the Towson New Music Ensemble, the Towson Chamber Singers, Various Faculty Performers and the Towson University Orchestra. Works by Furniere have been presented at the Henry Sanborn Honors Recital, the departmental Mosaic Concert, the Canticum Novum: New Choral Music concert, as well as numerous TU Composers' Recitals. For two years he served as the President of the Association of Towson Composers and also served the ATC Treasurer.

His music explores the various timbral qualities resulting from the blending of mixed ensembles and extended playing techniques. Within the past year, he has begun to conduct his larger pieces. After completing graduation, Michael plans to continue on to graduate studies in composition ultimately working to receive a doctoral degree in composition.