Michael Palmer is a 2000 graduate of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN with a Bachelor of Music. While attending ETSU on an Academic Performance Scholarship, he was an active performer in numerous ensembles, including marching band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, basketball showband, concert band, brass quintet, trombone choir, chamber choir, men’s ensemble, opera workshop, and the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra. Performances of note include a 2000 concert tour of Australia, a 1998 performance for the Collegiate Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Regional Convention in Jacksonville, FL. and a 1999 performance at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Convention in Chicago, IL.  In 2000, he was one of four students in the music department selected to perform as a soloist on ETSU's biennial Departmental Honors Recital. 

Mr. Palmer is currently in his 24th year of teaching, previously teaching at Littlefield Middle in Lumberton, NC (2002-2007) and Charles B. Aycock High School in Pikeville, NC (2007-2020) before coming to South Brunswick High School in 2020.  At CBA, he led the program to 5 of the school's 8 total NCMEA Superior ratings at that time, received numerous marching band invitations and awards in various classes, performed in numerous festivals and special events, and had multiple students selected for all-county, all-district, all-region jazz, and multiple university honor bands. Since coming to South Brunswick in 2020, the marching band has performed at the 2024 Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, garnered multiple class wins, and performed at the band's first ever Bands of America Regional Competitions.  Since 2022, the SBHS Bands also have 4 superior ratings with the concert band, a successful start-up for the "South Coast Jazz Ensemble" including 3 superior ratings for the jazz ensemble, superior ratings and class wins for both ensembles at Music in the Parks hosted in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and multiple students selected for honors ensembles, including university honor bands, all-district, all-region jazz, NC Governor's School, and the NC all-state band.  The jazz ensemble also premiered "Set The Standard" by Mike Tomaro in 2025 as part of a commission project financed by area grants and private donors and has performed on the deck of the USS North Carolina.  Prior to his full-time teaching responsibilities, he also worked as marching band staff with numerous band programs in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina of various sizes.  He has experience and is available as both an honor band clinician and festival adjudicator, with prior judging experience locally, on the NCBA marching circuit, and nationally on the USBands marching circuit.

Mr. Palmer was featured in an "Accolade" article in the 2011 "Progress Edition" of the Goldsboro News Argus, a feature article in the Wayne-Wilson News Leader and has been quoted in the March 2011, August 2012, and August 2013 editions of School Band and Orchestra Magazine.  He has also authored an article in the Winter 2026 NCMEA Journal.  Mr. Palmer proudly holds "Life Loyal" membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the nation’s largest, oldest, and most prestigious music fraternity.  As a collegiate member of the Lambda Sigma Chapter, he served in numerous offices at the chapter, provincial, and national levels.  His professional memberships have included the National Association for Music Educators (NAFME), North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), and the Eastern and Southeastern Districts (SEDBA) of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association (NCBA).  He served on the NCMEA state board as district president for District 2 from 2023-2025 and is currently serving as the SEDBA's high school representative on the NCBA Honors Band Committee.

In addition to his loves of music and teaching, Mr. Palmer is a shameless Tennessean who enjoys traveling, some sports (particularly football- GO VOLS), varied performing arts, and other activities with his wife, Tara, and their cat- Shelley.  He resides in Brunswick County and enjoys remaining active as a performer, most specifically as the rehearsal site host of the Brunswick Winds.