Michael Brennan was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Southern California. He started playing the guitar at the age of seventeen with the intention of playing in a rock band.  With little direction after graduating from high school, he attended Mount San Antonio Junior College where he enrolled in a guitar class and was introduced to the classical guitar.  Michael went on to earn Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from California State University, Fullerton where he studied with David Grimes and a Doctorate from Northwestern University where he studied with Anne Waller.

Just prior to graduating from high school, Michael attended a Wednesday night church service at Calvary Chapel West Covina and responded to the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  His life was forever changed!

Mike got his first opportunity to be a part of a worship team at Calvary Chapel Salt Lake City and has been a worship leader at several churches over the years including Calvary Chapel Lake Villa, Winnetka Bible Church, and Calvary Chapel Lynchburg.  He became the worship leader at Oasis Church in 2009 and served until 2020.

In addition to leading worship several times each month, Michael performs in a variety of settings: solo classical guitar, chamber music, and collaborative concerts.  He most enjoys sharing his presentation of Classical Guitar and Hymns.  This performance involves the weaving of Scripture and testimony in with Michael’s hymn arrangements.  For Michael, hymn arrangements are the perfect marriage of worship and classical guitar.  He has performed this program in whole or in part at many churches.

Brennan is Coordinator of Guitar Studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, where he has taught since 2007.  He formerly coordinated internships for the School of Music, by placing students in dozens of churches each year.  Before coming to Liberty University, he taught at Mt. San Antonio Jr. College, Huntington College, Judson College, and Benedictine University.  In addition to teaching on the collegiate level, Brennan has had students as young as 5 as well as adults of all ages and levels.  He has held teaching positions in Southern California, Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Louisville.

He has been a regular contributor to Soundboard guitar journal and was privileged to write two articles in The Popular Encyclopedia of Church History.  Michael’s two recordings of hymn arrangements are: One Desire and He Makes all Things Beautiful.  An album of Christmas music for solo guitar will be released late in 2022.

Michael currently lives in Madison Heights, VA with his wife Monica, daughter Elizabeth, and son Johnluke.  He also has a grown son, Michael, Jr., who is an accomplished guitarist in his own right and a member of the band Isolator.