"Michael Chorney does Michael Chorney things, which might be the six most exciting words in local music." Seven Days Vermont

I am a self taught composer, guitarist, saxophonist, producer, sideman and band-leader. My own groups feature original music; Hollar General, viperHouse, the MC6, and Orchid each reflect different aspects of my writing. Magic City features arrangements of the songs of Sun Ra, Seven Deadly Sins focused on the music of Kurt Weill and I have also worked on the songs of Paul Bowles. As an arranger I worked most prominently on Hadestown in collaboration with Anais Mitchell with whom I have also done many tours. As a producer I have worked with Anais, David Moss, Iain Morrison, Adrian Roye, Round Mountain, Seth Eames, the Dupont Brothers, Maryse Smith and many others. I am music director for the dance program at Middlebury College and have lived and worked in Vermont for more than thirty years.

2011 to present  Hollar General - folk jazz quartet playing original songs.
2007 to present Hadestown Orchestra - guitarist, arranger, band leader
2005 to present Magic City - acoustic sextet playing arrangements of Sun Ra, original material
2004 to present Collaborations with Anais Mitchell as guitarist, producer, arranger
2004 to present Solo performances of original songs
2003 to present Collaborations with Miriam Bernardo
2001 to present Orchid - original pieces for two saxophones, drums and bass
2009 to 2010 MC6 - instrumental sextet playing original compositions
2004 Seven Deadly Sins - septet playing arrangements of Kurt Weill
1995 to 2000 ViperHouse - band leader and original pieces for eleven piece electric big band
1990 to 1995 So-called Jazz Sextet - band leader, original compositions
1988 to 1990 Sun Dog - guitarist, saxophonist
1980 to 1985 Feast or Famine - original and traditional acoustic music