Michael Andersen was born in 1938 in Los Angeles. He studied film composition with Miklos Rosza and scored ten (dramatic, historical, and horror) films, including the notable “Tower of London,” starring Vincent Price. He also arranged for film and television.

Andersen was awarded an Alchin Fellowship and studied composition with Ingolf Dahl and Halsey Stevens at USC’s School of Music, where he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts.

He composed over sixty neo-classical concert works, most of which are housed at USC in the Music Library Archives. His published compositions include pieces for liturgical and secular vocal, chamber, and orchestral ensembles.

He was commissioned in 1966 to write his first symphony, Commemorating Carl Sandburg.  Andersen conducted its premiere with the Kansas City Philharmonic in March of 1968.

Two months later, his music composition was interrupted, when he was called up, as an officer in the California National Guard, to serve for a year and a half in the Vietnam War.

Dr. Andersen held the post of Choir Director at St. Nicholas Anglican Church in Encino, California, from 1971-1981, during the latter of which period he taught music composition at California Lutheran University, where he earned the nomination for the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award for his Symphony #2, Variations on a Hymn Tune, and conducted the Conejo Symphony Orchestra.

He was husband to Linda (BM in Viola, ‘66 USC) and father to Elaine, Kristen, Kit, and Katren. Michael Andersen passed away in December of 1982, in Los Angeles.