Matous Michal was appointed to the second violin section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Music Director Riccardo Muti in February 2016. He previously was a member of the first violin section of the Grant Park Orchestra. Michal received praise from “The New York Times” for an appearance as concertmaster of the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra in Strauss’s “Ein Heldenleben.”
A native of the Czech Republic, Matous Michal began his violin studies at the age of four under his father Ladislav Michal. At 14, he made his debut as soloist after winning the Dubai International Competition for Young Virtuosos performing Paganini’s Violin Concerto no. 1 with the symphony orchestra of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Since then, he has won numerous other awards.
Also at 14, he began studies at the Prague Conservatory as a student of Jaroslav Foltýn. After graduating, he joined the studio of Glenn Dicterow at the Juilliard School, where he completed his bachelor’s degree. He earned a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music in the orchestral performance program under Dicterow and Lisa Kim in May 2016, four months after joining the CSO.
Michal has served as a concertmaster of the Verbier Festival Orchestra, Juilliard Orchestra, Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra and Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra. He received coaching from Sylvia Rosenberg, Joseph Kalichstein and Earl Carlyss, and studied with Charles Avsharian and Kathleen Winkler.
Matous Michal joined the CSO alongside his brother, fellow violinist Simon Michal.
