Michael "MJ" Fabian is a lecturer of Music Theory at Cal Poly Humboldt. He has a BA in Percussion Performance from Cal Poly Humboldt, as well as a MM in Music Theory and Percussion Performance from the University of Akron.

Very patient and flexible, I take pride in making music theory interesting for everyone. I love helping students relate theory to what they are working on during their instrumental lessons, often discussing and analyzing their current pieces. I encourage students to ask me to repeat information as many times as they need, even if they're just a little unsure; I'll never be upset to explain something again if it helps you understand just a little better.

I emphasize that music theory is prescriptive rather than descriptive; that is to say, music theory gives us tools and language to describe music, not rules that must be followed. To help my classes and students connect to the topics we go over, I ask what music they're listening to so I can use those pieces in my lectures and lessons. I am happy to adjust my teaching style, music theory did not come easily to me as a student, so I know lots of different ways to approach and explain different topics. I love getting sidetracked by student questions; I often find that those discussions really help things click for everyone, and encourages students to pursue connections in their own way.