Vocal coach
Michael won a music scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford before going to the Royal College of Music to study vocal accompaniment with Roger Vignoles. He enjoyed a long association with Welsh National Opera, firstly as a member of music staff and latterly as freelance Vocal Consultant: he built up a repertoire of nearly eighty operas while assisting conductors such as Sir Reginald Goodall, Sir Charles Mackerras and Pierre Boulez and working with some of the most distinguished singers in the world. Nowadays, in addition to teaching young accompanists and repetiteurs, he devotes much of his time to coaching the next generation of singers, including those at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, the Young Singers’ Programme at English National Opera, the National Opera Studio, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music (where he has recently been awarded an Honorary Associateship). He is vice-chairman and a founding Trustee of the Kenneth Loveland Gift.
Away from the world of opera Michael has a particular enthusiasm for the song recital repertoire, and he enjoys exploring artsongs from Europe, Russia and Scandinavia, as well as from North and South America. He has accompanied Bryn Terfel in recitals in the UK, Norway, Asia, Australia, and most recently in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Other singers whom he has accompanied in international recitals include Dame Anne Evans, Rebecca Evans, Nuccia Focile, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Katarina Karnéus, Christopher Maltman, Ailish Tynan and Willard White. He acted as official accompanist for the Cardiff Singer of the World competition on three occasions and has broadcast frequently. His recordings include chamber pieces by Tippett and Alun Hoddinott, as well as recital discs with Rebecca Evans, Nuccia Focile, and Anthony Michaels-Moore.
