A native of Great Britain, Mr. Stockdale received his ARCM and DipRCM diplomas from London's prestigious Royal College of Music where he studied guitar with Patrick Bashford and Charles Ramirez.  Mr. Stockdale began playing guitar at age eight, and formal training at age twelve.  He studied with several prominent UK teachers including John Tomkins, Julian Byzantine, John Mills, and Graham Wade.  Mr. Stockdale has given numerous performances as a soloist and chamber musician and has been featured on both English and American radio and television.  He has performed Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with several orchestras and was a recipient of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP award for adventurous programming.

  

Among his contemporary performance credits, Mr. Stockdale has shared the stage with recording artists Michael English, Israel Houghton, Anthony Evans, Paul Baloche, New Life - Desperation Band, Joel Augé, Ken Reynolds and Michael Gungor.  His recording credits including: Michael Stockdale Live in Concert, Teach Me Lord, For You I Live, and Reach the World and Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet.  For sixteen years he served as the Chair of the Music Division, Director of the Commercial Music Program and Associate Professor of Music at Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids.  He was also the musical director for their touring ensemble, Red Letter Edition.

 

Mr. Stockdale currently resides in Michigan. He is a former and founding member of the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet (2006-2018).  In addition to numerous concerts, they performed Rodrigo’s Concierto Andaluz for four guitars with several orchestras.