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Ben Michaels

cellist

by Emma Werner

biog.

Ben Michaels is a British cellist based in London. He first learnt with his father, Joel Michaels, and later studied with Felix Schmidt and John Myerscough at the Royal Academy of Music. 

Ben is passionate about chamber and contemporary music. He was a Chamber Fellow at the Academy 2020-22 and enjoys a varied chamber recital schedule alongside solo performing; he has a particular interest in commissioning and supporting new works written for solo cello. He was awarded the inaugural Keith Harvey Memorial Award by the London Cello Society (2022), which helped support the commission of a set of 6 short solo works written by a selection of cellist-composers. Alongside these projects, Ben performs with symphony and chamber orchestras around the UK, including on baroque cello. 2024 has included world premieres as part of Apartment House at Wigmore hall, Ben echoing around Lightroom for an immersive David Hockney exhibition with music by Nico Muhly, performances onstage as a solo cellist for 3-actor contemporary theatre and french baroque opera with the English Concert.

Before exploring his passion for music, Ben studied Biochemistry at Clare College, Cambridge. 

Ben plays on a Gaetano Gadda cello, generously provided on loan by an anonymous benefactor.
 

projects.

for cello, by cellists

21st January 2025, The Amadeus London

Over the past couple of years I have been commissioning solo pieces by colleagues and friends, all of whom are cellist-composers (Kit Downes, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Zoë Martlew, Colin Alexander, Laura Moody & Jakob Kullberg). I am excited to premiere the set of 6 solo pieces in London on January 21st.

Recently, I became obsessed with contemporary (and historic) cellist-composers who wrote for solo cello. In particular, I was deeply inspired by Thomas Demenga’s enormously fantastic piece, EFEU. I was struck by how novel these pieces often were and how inescapable it was that these cellists left something original of themselves, their sound and technique in the music. They demonstrated the incredible versatility of the instrument for different music and different musicians. Many pieces forced me to make sounds I had not yet imagined which continued to inspire and challenge me. I am lucky to know so many great cellists who play their own music. I managed to persuade a few to write something down for me. 

The project ‘for cello, by cellists’ is the result of this curiosity. 6 solo pieces, written across a variety of styles by 6 different, brilliant musicians.

contact.

Thank you!

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