Charles Michiels

Born in 1972, Charles Michiels pursued his artistic studies at the Conservatoires of Tournai, Mons, and Brussels. He holds higher diplomas in solfège, clarinet, and chamber music, all awarded with highest distinction, as well as a first prize in choral conducting. He distinguished himself in several national and international competitions, notably as first laureate at the International Clarinet Association Competition in Lubbock in 1997 in Texas USA, and as laureate at the Dos Hermanas International Competition in 1996 in Seville Spain. In addition to numerous concerts worldwide as a clarinetist and choral conductor, Charles Michiels is solo clarinetist with the ensemble Musiques Nouvelles in Mons and with Spectra Ensemble in Ghent. He is also a founding member of Duo Y with saxophonist Simon Diricq and of Clap Duo with percussionist Pierre Quiriny.

After more than twenty five years devoted to conducting instrumental and vocal ensembles, he became actively involved with the Jeunesses Musicales de Wallonie picarde, where he served as director from 2006 to 2011. He also worked at the Conservatoire de Lille as professor of choral conducting and coordinator of the vocal department from 2011 to 2013. He taught clarinet at the Conservatoire de Tournai for twenty years. He currently teaches choral conducting and directs several vocal ensembles at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles since 1998 and at the Conservatoire de Mons since 2017. He also works as a trainer at the Ecole Supérieure de Musique et Danse de Lille. A strong advocate of twentieth and twenty first century music, he actively promotes contemporary composers, particularly Belgian ones, both in the clarinet repertoire and in choral music, his two great passions.