Mike Seal
Michael Seal (born 1970 in London, England) is the Associate Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.[1] Previously he was the orchestra's Assistant Conductor, the first person to occupy that role, being appointed in May 2005.
He began playing the violin at the age of nine, studying with Harry Horsman and Susan Cheetham, and later studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Jacqueline Ross. While at the Birmingham Conservatoire he also studied Viola, Composition and later, conducting with Jonathan Del Mar. Subsequent conducting teachers have included Sakari Oramo, Andris Nelsons and Jorma Panula. He graduated in 1992 and immediately joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as a violinist, being a member for 22 years (1992 - 2014).
He conducted his first concert with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra in 1996, quickly becoming a conductor with this orchestra on a regular basis. He has been Principal Conductor of the Sinfonia of Birmingham since 2002, taking them on tours to Germany, Tuscany, Holland and Poland. He is also a regular conductor at the Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal College of Music.
He made his debut as a conductor with the CBSO in 2002, was appointed Assistant Conductor in May 2005 and promoted to Associate Conductor in March 2011.
Since his debut with the CBSO, he has conducted the following UK professional orchestras,
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
- BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
- Ulster Orchestra
Internationally, he has conducted the following orchestras,
- hr-Sinfonieorchester
- Joensuu City Orchestra
- KBS Symphony Orchestra
- Norwegian Radio Orchestra
- Odense Symphony Orchestra
- Orchestre-Atelier Ostinato
- Orquestra Academia del Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón
- Orquestra Filarmonica de Buenos Aires
- RTÉ Concert Orchestra
- RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra
- St Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra
Michael Seal is represented by Tennant Artists.