Michael Bertoncello

Michael Bertoncello was born in 1977, and began playing Euphonium at the age of 7 before moving to the Trombone at the age of 13. He studied with Ian Perry at the Victorian College of the Arts for several years. During this time he was a member of both the Melbourne and Australian Youth Orchestras and also worked frequently with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In 1997 Michael took up a position with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and studied with Michael Mulcahy. On leaving Chicago he was appointed as Principal Trombone of the Shanghai Broadcast Symphony Orchestra. The following year he took up the position of Principal Trombone with the Auckland Philharmonic. Since 2001 Michael has held the position of Solo-Trombone of the Tonhalle Orchester, Zürich.

Michael has performed as a soloist with the Melbourne and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, the Victorian College of the Arts Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse and the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich. As a chamber musician, Michael has performed with many ensembles in Australia and abroad, most recently with the “German Brass”.

Michael is founder and Co-Director of the Melbourne International Festival of Brass, and a founding member of both the Melbourne and Australian Chamber Brass Ensembles.

A newly recorded CD featuring Michael and Australian Trumpeter Jeff Segal, with David Zinman and the Tonhalle Orchester, Zürich will be released in October 2004 on the Arte Nova label.