Michael is a multi faceted pianist. Initial training at The Royal Academy of Music with Alexander Kelly, The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with Phillip Jenkins , led to the award of a Sir James Caird travelling scholarship.

He continued his studies at the Guildhall school of Music Drama with Graham Johnson and The late Paul Hamburger.

A second Caird Scholarship and British Council Piano Scholarship led to study at The Conservatoire superior nationale de Paris and then The Tchaicovsky state Conservatoire in Moscow with the legendary teacher Lev Naumov culminating in private study with Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Michael came to international prominence by being the first British Pianist in its history to win the Xvi th Aarau International Piano Competition in Switzerland at the age of 28.

As a soloist he has captivated audiences in the Uk and abroad from London to Osaka Japan, collaborating with conductors such as: Sir Simon Rattle , Mikael Strinmann, Marin Allsop, Mariss Jansens , Alexander Briger Alexander Walker and Edward Gardner.

He has recorded live : Rakhmaninov 2nd Concerto (Briger/Kensington Philharmonic) Mozart concerti 23/24, 19/20 (Jansens /Allsop Concertgebouw Amsterdam) 27 ( Michele bastianini virtuosi Venezia) Beethoven concerti 4 and 5 ( rattle / BSO) Tchaikovsky Concerto no 1 ( Mikael Strinmann Metz) Greig Concerto/ Ravel G major Concerto / Ravel Concerto for left Hand , alongside both Chopin Concerti , Liszt Concerto no 1 and the Totentanz, Prokofiev Concerti 1 and 3 , Strauss Burleske and the Finzi Eclogue for piano and strings.

As a collaborative artist he has appeared in all the major London concert halls including the QEH south bank centre , the Wigmore Hall, St Johns Smith Square ( Song makers Almanac with Graham Johnson ) Snape Maltings Aldeburgh (Bennelong Ensemble : Torke The Telephone book ) And Cheltenham Festival (Rakhmaninov ). Abroad in the Salzburg Festspiele, Apollo Saal , Berlin , Montalcino Festivale ( Poulenc wind sextet/ Beethoven sextet) Amici Di Toscana Academia Gli Oppi Firenze.

Michael has been fortunate enough to work alongside some of the worlds best singers both as collaborative pianist and as repetiteur/ coach : Bryn Terfel , Simon Keenleyside, Sue Chilcott, Dame Shirley Bassey, Paul Nilon , Gideon Sachs , Deborah York, Yvonne Kenny , José Carreras , Giselle Allen and Peter Wedd.

As a repetiteur / coach with singers in role preparation for the following productions at: La Monnaie (la Boheme ) la Bastille (Judita) La Fenice (Traviata ) ROH (Mitridate) Opera Comique(Zauberflöte) Freiburg (Cendrillon) Opera Australia (Dido / Street car named desire)
Opera North (Onegin / Jenufa / Piques Dames) Scottish Opera (Magic Flute)

In September 2012 Michael was asked to join the staff of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Since joining the staff he has been asked to collaborate with CVT , being a regular studio pianist for Janice Chapman and Yvonne Kenny.
He is also a member of the team for VoxIntegra ( vox Integra.com )

In 2016 Gsmd awarded Michael a fellowship from the Higher Education Academy.

A Passion for education , across all economical backgrounds , drives Michael to plough back into the Music education system , the information that informed his own personal journey into the profession and beyond.