Student Spotlight: Michael Stock

Michael Stock

By Michael Stock….

Michael Stock

Coral Gables High senior Michael Stock usually can be found at band events.

The tuba player is one of two band captains for the school’s Band of Distinction. As a band captain, he has the responsibility for leading sectionals and working oneon- one with other brass players.

“I actually conducted on the field and I conduct rehearsals as well,” Stock said. “I have also written full ensemble pieces for the marching band that we have played in the stands the last two seasons.”

He said the arrangements have been extremely popular with both his fellow band members and the crowd.

“They are stands tunes, mainly like pep songs for the marching band,” he said. “I started for low brass, instruments that I knew, and the others got envious and wanted me to write for the whole band.”

He has completed five or six of the arrangements for the full band. The band usually played one of his pieces once a game.

“I’m going to leave my collection that I’ve arranged here at Gables so future bands can enjoy them,” Stock said.

Along with playing at football games, the band also performs at community events such as the Junior Orange Bowl Parade.

When marching season ends, the program switches to concert band mode. The concert band has three major concerts — the Winter Concert, a Spring Concert and the Florida Bandmaster’s Association evaluation concert where the band is rated. If they make “superiors” at district, then they have one more concert at the state level.

Other extracurricular activities include the National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Society in which he is the treasurer.

“We have coffee houses about once a month that raise money that we donate to the Fender Music Foundation,” he said. “I believe it purchases instruments for schools that can’t afford it themselves.”

Some of the money also will be used to buy guitars for the new guitar class being offered at Gables.

“So it benefits both our school and others,” Stock said.

Tri-M also does other types of community service. Members participate in the various walks that raise money for health causes, including the Heart Walk.

Stock and some fellow International Baccalaureate band members have organized a project where they are planning to go to elementary schools like Coral Way K-8.

“We’re planning to teach elementary students about music and how to play instruments,” he said. “I think it would be over the summer so it would be a weekly thing for summer camps and groups like that. We’re planning organizing small ensembles to play at hospitals and nursing homes. My job would be to arrange the music that we play.”

Until this year, Stock had been in the Television Production class but had to drop that elective for a class he had to take for the IB program.

Attending Gables initially was a culture shock because he moved from Ocala to the area as a sophomore. The student population at Gables is twice the size of the school he attended. But Stock feels he was able to make the transition well.

His next school will be a college, which will be even bigger than Gables. He’s hoping to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I would march with a Sousaphone in North Carolina,” he said.

He’s also applied to the University of Florida and plans to apply to Florida State. Stock has not decided on a major.


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