Your future, our focus
POWELL, Wyo. — The Northwest College Music Department welcomes guest pianist Kristofer Michaels for a performance of classical works by Beethoven, Bach, Leibermann and Rachmaninoff at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, in the Nelson Performing Arts Center Auditorium.
A native of American Fork, Utah, Michaels began playing the piano at age six, initially with the help of his mother. He started to pursue music seriously at age 13 and was soon performing and competing in local and other piano competitions, a practice he continues to this day.
Among his performance honors are top placings in the Utah Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition, the Coeur d'Alene Concerto competition, and second prize in the Young Artists competition at the Utah State Fair. He was one of five finalists in the Isabel Scionti International Piano Concerto Competition in Kingsville, Texas.
The Deseret News described Michaels’ style as “insightful, wonderfully articulate and polished.” In addition to performing as a soloist and chamber musician, he’s played with the Utah Philharmonic, the Salt Lake and Couer d’Alene symphony orchestras, and often appears with the Canyonlands New Music Ensemble.
Michaels specializes in the performance of new music, playing for ensembles such as the New Music Ensemble at the University of Utah, the Salty Cricket Composers Collective, the University of Utah Semi-annual Composers forum, “Crosstalk” concerts with the University of Utah and Brigham Young University and for numerous freelance composers and composition students.
He received a bachelor’s degree in music in 2010 from the University of Utah School of Music where he currently studies piano performance. He’ll graduate this spring with a master’s degree.
Admission is free and open to the public.
