Michael Ward gave his first public piano recital aged 9,
directed his first musical production a few years later and
conducted his first major symphony concert in 1987,
whilst still only 16.
Throughout his early musical career he was guided by
several highly regarded international figures including Sir Adrian Boult, Sir
Charles Groves and Claudio Abbado. Following on from this he studied
conducting with Lawrence Leonard (a pupil of both Eric Kleiber and Ernest
Ansermet), piano with the internationally renowned pianist Louis Kentner
and following this Michael was invited by both Sir Simon Rattle and Raphael
Frubeck de Bourgos to attend their rehearsals with the CBSO and LSO.
Michael had already conducted numerous orchestras, choirs and opera companies in Britain
and abroad when he was appointed Music Director and Principal Conductor of Chesterfield
Symphony Orchestra in 1990 (a post he held for 18 years. It was at this time that he was
fortunate both to be invited to spend time shadowing Yan Pascal Tortelier (at that time
Principal Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra) and come into contact with the
composer and conductor Luciano Berio. In 1991 he was one of only two British conductors invited
to participate in the prestigious Besançon International Competition and in the same year he
had a similar invitation from the London Philharmonic Orchestra in their search for young
conducting talent. Soon after he undertook a tour to Australia and New Zealand where, at the
same time he won joint first prize in the 1992 International Musician of the Year Competition
held in Auckland.
Michael conducts an extensive repertoire, ranging from pre-Baroque to
post-Modern music. He is in demand both in the UK and abroad and has give
n concerts in many leading venues. In addition Michael has made commercial
recordings for Chandos, Doyen and Wilco Records as well as giving numerous
broadcasts on both BBC and Independent radio and television.
His vast experience includes having worked with over 50 orchestras, choirs and
opera companies including, in the UK, musicians from BBC Philharmonic
Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra,
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, London Symphony
Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera, Opera North, Royal Opera House, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera. And he has given concerts at many of the major venues in the UK, including the RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester; Guildhall Concert Hall, London; City Hall, Sheffield; Fairfield Halls, Croydon; Free Trade Hall, Manchester; South Bank Concert Halls, London and Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
Throughout his career Michael in addition to innumerable concerts throughout the UK he has given many performances in countries throughout the world including Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Austria, Germany, France, Czech Republic and Italy. During the 2008 – 2009 season he made his conducting debut in both Poland and in Russia. However, Michael continues to retain his position as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the ensemble he founded in 2007, The York Soloists Chamber Orchestra.
For over 25 years, as a pianist, Michael has also given many recitals, concerto performances and chamber music concerts throughout the UK and abroad. Along with his wife Clare, he forms the renowned Piano Duo ‘A Quattro Mani’.
After studying with the English composer Philip Wilby, Michael was awarded a PhD in composition. In 1995, under the auspices of The Park Lane Group, his ‘Night Piece’ for Brass Quintet was given its world premiere by Onyx Brass at the Purcell Room on London’s South Bank and in April of that year he conducted the world premiere of his 1st Symphony, commissioned by Chesterfield Symphony Orchestra. In 1997 he completed a concerto for the internationally renowned horn player David Pyatt. Other works include a String Quartet, first performed in 1998 by the Sorrell Quartet, a Piano Sonata premiered in 1999 by the composer and ‘Theatre Music’ for small orchestra and ‘Fire’ a ballet, both premiered in York in 2003. In 2004 he was asked to write for the internationally renowned Russian Concert Organist, Ekaterina Melnikova, who gave the Russian premiere of his piece ‘Shoah’ in Moscow during 2005. Further commissions are due to be premiered in Russia during the 2007- 2008 season and beyond.
