Michael Whalen is a two-time Emmy® Award-winning American composer, music supervisor, producer, and recording artist whose work spans contemporary instrumental music, television, film, advertising, ambient music, jazz, electronic music, and new age. Born in New York City on December 2, 1965, Whalen has built a decades-long career defined by melodic sophistication, emotional range, and a distinctive ability to blend live instrumentation with modern music technology.

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Whalen began his musical life at age five as a percussionist and later studied with Tommy Wardlow, chief percussionist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He went on to attend Berklee College of Music, where he focused on composition, production, and engineering before moving to New York City in 1987 to begin his professional career.

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Since then, Whalen has composed and produced music for thousands of commercials, hundreds of television programs, and dozens of films. His work as a composer, music supervisor, sound designer, synthesist, arranger, and producer has made him a versatile creative force across media. He is especially known for creating evocative soundscapes that combine classical instrumentation, atmospheric electronics, and deeply expressive melodic writing.

As a recording artist, Whalen has released a substantial and wide-ranging catalog of solo and collaborative albums. Notable recordings include: Night Scenes (1996), My Secret Heart (2005), Cupid Blindfolded (2019), Sacred Spaces (2020), Walk in Beauty, Like the Night, Two Shores with Grammy® Winner Jim “Kimo” West (2025), Heart of the Holidays (2025), When the Rain Learned to Sing (2026) and Standing Near Infinity (2026). His 2024 album Watercolor Sky features Grammy® Winners Mark Isham, Michael Manring, Nancy Rumbel, Will Ackerman, and Charlie Bisharat, and reflects Whalen’s long-standing connection to the spirit of Windham Hill–influenced contemporary instrumental music. Forthcoming projects include Fire Over Water with Antonio Sánchez, Michael Manring and Michael Rosen and Wilderness with singer Tanja Tzar. 

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Whalen has collaborated with a remarkable range of artists and creative figures, including Stephen Sondheim, Fiona Apple, Brian Wilson, Daniel Lanois, Carole King, and David Foster. His awards and honors include two Emmy® Awards, eight Emmy nominations, 10 Clio Awards, a BMI Award, an Intercontinental Music Award, and four Global Music Awards.

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In addition to his work as a composer and artist, Whalen has been an educator and mentor, teaching at institutions including Berklee College of Music, New York University, The City College of New York, and The New School. He currently lives on an island in the middle of Jamaica Bay within the five boroughs of New York City with his wife, two grown children, and their two dogs...