Bio
At a young age, Colorado native Michael Rinko began composing and performing music when he learned to play rock ‘n’ roll on bass guitar with his uncles. Along with picking up the drum set and guitar, he began studying jazz double bass through the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts.
This passion for musical exploration led him to complete a Bachelor of Music from Colorado State University under Dr. Forest Greenough.
Holding the principal chair in the symphony orchestra, playing in the wind ensemble and playing in the top jazz ensembles in his last few years there, Michael was awarded the Wendel Diebel Performance Award for being the “outstanding and most consistent performing musician.”
Michael currently freelances around Colorado performing various styles of music ranging from Classical and Country to Jazz and Metal. Performances include the Ryan Fourt Trio, the Wil Swindler Quartet, the Fort Collins Symphony, the Tom Amend Trio, fusion band Space Force and metal band The Udder. Michael is also an educator who teaches privately and has collaborated with the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts.