He's a two-time winner of Charlie's "Man of the Month," awarded to the Lakeview bar patron who, on the first Friday of the month, raises the most money for their chosen charity.
Michael Bresnahan can boast he's Mr. June 2010 and Mr. May 2011and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) has been the recipient of his fundraising.
Bresnahan, 26, who lives in the Lakeview neighborhood, also has supported AFC through its endurance-training program, the Team To End AIDS (T2). He competed in the 2010 Chicago Triathlon (sprint distance) and the 2010 Lake Geneva Triathlon (Olympic distance) through T2. He's been fundraising for T2 and AFC this summer, too, though did not participate in any event.
"The tri program through T2 was so social," said Bresnahan, a West Virginia native who graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago and then VanderCook College of Music.
"I met some of my best friends, to this day, through T2. It's a great group of peopleso supportive, so positive, and so inspirational," he said.
Bresnahan has raised close to $5,000 for AFC over the past two years through his participation in T2 and the "Man of the Month" contests.
He plans to continue supporting AFC next year too, and will return to the T2 endurance-training scene. Bresnahan also ran the Chicago Marathon in 2009, finishing in 3:57.
Bresnahan is the choir director at Jones College Prep High School, a selective enrollment school within the Chicago Public Schools system, located in the South Loop on State Street. It is his first teaching gig, and he's been inundated in the new school yearand the new jobwith preparation, planning and learning school traditions.
Some of his duties are teaching a music theory class to make sure the students are successful in their AP test, and leading a jazz choir.
Plus, Bresnahan teaches afternoon classes at Gallery 37 through the CPS, where students specialize in something related to the arts, such as sculpture, dance, jazz, vocal arts, etc.
"It's great to see kids grow, learn about music and making sure they are learning good music fundamentals," said Bresnahan, who was a weekend pianist and singer at the Chicago Chop House for about two years and is also a singer (tenor) at the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue.
Bresnahan plays the piano and clarinet, and is an accomplished singer. He was a vocal performance major in college.
"I'm just trying to make music as much fun as possible for everyone," said Bresnahan, who won over many in his job interview through his youthful, energetic approach, coupled with his knowledge of the subject, particularly choral music and vocal techniques. In fact, when the Jones principal called Bresnahan to offer him the job, he said that Bresnahan was a hands-down choice ahead of five other applicants.
Bresnahan saved the principal's voice-mail message with the job offer and compliment.
"Walking into a high school choir director position is hard; you generally need experience. Many often start at grade- or middle-schools," Bresnahan said. "I'm thrilled and honored to have been offered this job."
Bresnahan said Jones has a gay-straight alliance (GSA), but he has yet to offer his support. But, he added, "I would totally be cool to support it. I don't feel like I have to hide [my sexual orientation] at Jones, not at all. Nor would I want to be in a job where I had to hide it; I've been out since I was 15."