About

About Michael Simpsonelli

​

I am an award-winning music educator, session musician, composer, producer, audio engineer, and videographer with over 25 years of experience. I work fluently across guitar, bass, and drums, and also play keys, percussion, and sing. My studio work blends live performance with electronic and hybrid production, using MIDI instruments and virtual sound design alongside acoustic sources.

​

As a musician and collaborator, I have worked musically with a wide range of acclaimed artists, including Juno Award winners George Leach, Shad K (Netflix's Hip Hop Evolution), and Raven Kanatakta (Digging Roots), as well as Grammy Award winner Terry Townson (Ray Charles, The Temptations). I play drums in Beau Wheeler’s band, and we recorded Beau’s most recent album at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse Studio.

My studio work also includes recording and engineering projects for legendary performer Jon Mikl Thor, whose career spans music, film, and performance art. Other musical collaborations include Simon Kendall (Colin James, Doug and the Slugs), Steven Nikleva (Sarah McLachlan, Petunia and the Vipers), Johnny Wah (Brasstronaut, Dan Mangan), Guenter Schulz (KMFDM), and Ken Fleming (SNFU, Econoline Crush).

​​

I have collaborated extensively with award-winning musical director and theatrecomposer Joelysa Pankanea as both a musician and recording engineer, working across theatre, voice and SFX recording, sound design, and film-related projects.

​

As a composer, I have written and produced original music for film, documentary, and media projects, including Network Entertainment’s I Am Chris Farley, Shenpenn Khymsar’s Lhasa Blues, and Perspective Films’ VR360 Aurora Borealis experience. Additional work includes a 20-minute tango suite for Limb for Love by Fallen Hero Productions and solo drum compositions for Derek Kwan’s documentary Taste of Identity. Film scoring remains a central creative focus in my work.

​

Alongside composition and performance, I specialize in professional studio recording and music-focused video production. My work emphasizes clarity, feel, and strong creative direction, whether capturing live performances, producing in-studio sessions, or creating polished music videos.

​

I have a long-standing interest in the intersection of music, technology, and visual storytelling, including interactive and immersive media. I’ve completed advanced training with Circuit Stream in Unity, C#, and XR development, and have created multiple 3D and XR music experiences that combine composition with interactive sound design.

​

Across sound, video, and education, my work is rooted in thoughtful craft, creative integrity, and meaningful collaboration. Simpsonelli Productions and East Van Music Lab operate as connected parts of the same creative practice, with studio and media work informing how I teach, and education shaping how I approach production.

​

My formal studies include the Contemporary Music Diploma program at Vancouver Community College, Recording Arts at Columbia Academy, and Music Composition for Multimedia at Vancouver Film School.