Šimon Michal

Šimon Michal started to play the violin at the age of four, and now studies with Professor Jaroslav Foltýn at the Prague Conservatoire. In 2007. 2008 and 2009 he was awarded a full scholarship at the Meadowmount School of Music (USA), where he studied with C. Avsharian, Ann Setzer, David Russell, Walter Schwede and Mellisa Kraut. He also received a scholarship from the International Music Academy in Pilsen in 2006, where he studied with S. Shipps. Šimon has participated in masterclasses led by Glenn Dicterow, Sally Thomas, William van der Sloot, Stephen B. Shipps and Endre Granata:

He won the ‘grand prix‘, the EMCY Prize and the ‘Edition Bärenreiter Prize’ at the Kocian International Violin Competition in 2009, and the ‘grand prix’ at the International Radio Competition ‘Concertino Praga’ 2009. He has also won numerous national competitions. In 2008, Šimon’s awards as a soloist included 1st Prize at Prague Junior Note, 1st Prize at the Czech National Competition, and at the International Competition ‘Archetti’ in Moravia. In 2009, he participated as the youngest competitor at the Hannover International Violin Competition (Germany).

He also plays in chamber groups, winning 1st Prize at the Czech National Competition in 2007 as a member of a string trio, and has won awards for his interpretation of twentieth-century music.

Šimon has performed in the USA, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Poland and the Slovak Republic. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Philharmony Zlin, the Philharmony Pardubice and with the Philharmony Hradec Králové.

Šimon participated in EMCY's "Stars of Tomorrow" Tour 2010.


Repertoire

Solo

J. S. Bach, Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Partita No. 2 in D minor, Partita No. 3 in E Major
I. Ysäye, Sonata No. 3 ‘Ballade‘
N. Paganini, 24 Caprices, ‘Nel cor piu non mi sento’
G. P. Telemann, Fantazia No. 9 in B minor
I. Wieniawski, Études-Caprices (Opp. 10 and 18)

With piano

A. Alard, Brilliant fantasy ‘Faust’
L. van Beethoven, Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Romanza No. 2 in F Major (Op. 50)
E. Bloch, Nigun
J. Kocian, Intermezzo Pittoresque (Op. 18, No. 2), Lullaby, Spring song, Serenade in D
F. Kreisler, Ungarishe Dance, Rondino, Caprice Vennoice, Liebesfreud, Liebesleid, Preludium and Allegro, Variations on a theme of Corelli, Tambourin Chinois
F. Kroll, Banjo and fiddle
W. A. Mozart, Adagio
F. Ondříček, Scherzo capriccioso
N. Paganini, Le Carneval de Venice, Motto perpetuo, Cantabile, Sonata in E minor
S. Prokofiev, 3 Pieces
C. Ptasinský, Tanecek
J. M. Ravel, Tzigane
Sarasate, Habanera, Malaguena
F. Schubert, Sonata in G minor
J. Suk, Four pieces (Op. 7, No. 1)
G. Tartini, Sonata in G minor
I. Wieniawski, Grand Caprice Fantazy (Op. 1), Le Carnaval de Venice, Le Carnaval Russe (Op. 11), Mazurka  Kujawiak

Chamber music

L. van Beethoven, String trio (Op. 9, Nos. 2 and 3)
A. Dvořák, String quartet
H. Halvorsen, Passacaglia
B. Martinů, String trio No. 1
P. I. Tchaikovsky, Souvenir de Florence, String quartet No. 1

With orchestra

J. S. Bach, Concerto in E Major, Concerto in D minor for two violins
A. Glazunov, Concerto in A minor
W. A. Mozart, Concerto No. 3 in G Major
N. Paganini, Concerto in B minor (Op. 7, No. 2)
C. Saint-Saëns, Concerto in B minor
J. Sibelius, Concerto in D minor (Op. 47)
G. Tartini: Concerto in D minor
H. Vieuxtemps: Concerto in A minor (No. 5)
A. Vivaldi, The Four Seasons , Violin Concerto in G Major, Concerto in A minor for two violins, Concerto in B Major for violin and cello
I. Wieniawski, Concerto in F sharp minor (Op. 10)