Michael Segaud
Michael Segaud is a professional violinist, violist, conductor and singer. Educated at Strathallan School in Perthshire it was here that his love for choral music blossomed under the incredibly inspirational director of music Neil Metcalfe. In the inaugural year of awards, he won a choral scholarship with St. Ninians Cathedral and took up regular cathedral choral duties. After School Michael was awarded a scholarship to study Viola at the Royal Northern College of Music with Dr. Louise Lansdown where he completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree in performance.Michael has been very fortunate to have already had a very exciting and varied performing career. As a soloist he has performed at the International Viola Congress in South Africa, delivered a lecture recital at Yale University and as a concerto soloist in Scotland and at the RNCM. Michael has performed Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’, directing Leek Sinfonietta from the violin and sung as a soloist with choral societies throughout the UK. Michael has a great passion for chamber music which has led to collaborations with musicians including the late Peter Cropper, Matthew Jones, Sebastian Meuller, Tim Lowe, Loraine McAslan and Annabel Thwaite. Orchestrally Michael has performed with the BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé Orchestra, The Scottish Ballet, The Scottish Pops Orchestra and other freelance orchestras across the UK. In 2011 he deputised as the solo violist for the West End UK tour of South Pacific.
Michael enjoys teaching children of all ages from five to eighty five! Michael has enjoyed teaching violin and viola students of all ages, with some gaining scholarships to Music Conservatoires throughout the UK. Through his passion for chamber music Michael has struck up a great relationship with Pro Corda, the International Chamber Music Academy based in Leiston, Suffolk, coaching chamber music and conducting the orchestras and choirs. Whilst living in London Michael also had the privilege of teaching curriculum music at two schools for children with special educational needs. Michael currently teaches strings at Ardvreck School in Crieff.
As a conductor, Michael has been fortunate to receive tuition from some of the worlds best conductors including the late Sir Vernon Handley. In September 2012 Michael embarked on his first job as a choral conductor and musical director with Leek Choral Society. Having enjoyed singing so much choral music, before focusing on the viola at music college, it was an incredible experience to come back to it from a different angle. He thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and rewards it presented and it has inspired him to seek out more opportunities like this one. This lead to his appointment as musical director for Marple Choral Society in 2013 and guest conductor for both Manchester Philharmonic Choir and Buckland and Betchworth Choral Societies. More recently, since moving back to Scotland, Michael has been appointed as musical director for Cupar Choral Society in 2017 and Stirling City Choir in 2018.
Link to Michael's website
