Jan Michiels

Jan Michiels (Izegem, 1966) is a Flemish music pedagogue and pianist.

He obtained a first prize in piano at the Koninklijk Conservatorium te Brussel with Abel Matthys. He furthered his studies with Hans Leygraf at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin. In 1988 he became laureate of the youth competition Pro Civitate. A year later he won the international Emmanuel Durlet competition. He participated in 1991 in the Koningin Elisabethwedstrijd, and became one of the laureates. Later he would return there as a jury member. From then on his domestic career was launched. Thus he came under contract with the Festival van Vlaanderen. In 2006 he became laureate of the KBC Muziekprijs.

Jan Michiels is piano teacher at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, where he headed the class "Hedendaagse Muziek". Moreover, he is also affiliated with the Orpheusinstituut. On 19 March 2011 he obtained with "highest distinction" the degree of doctor in the arts with the defence of an original dissertation titled: Teatro dell'ascolto (Worüber man nichts sagen kann, muss man spielen).

Jan Michiels performs regularly as a soloist. Chamber music (with among others the Prometheusensemble) also carries his interest. With Inge Spinette he forms a piano duo. Internationally he has explored Europe and Asia and performed with conductors such as Angus, Baudo, Borejko, Edwards, Eötvös, Nézet-Séguin, Rahbari, Rundel, Siebens, Stern, Tamayo, Pfaff, Zender, Zagrosek.