Michael Way

Michael Way a native of High Point, North Carolina, began studying cello in the 6th grade with Robert Docker. At age 15, he joined the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra and furthered his cello studies with Anne Sellitti. During the summer of 2003, he was accepted into the prestigious North Carolina Governor's School, where he spent a summer studying with Tom Kraines.

Michael attended The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and graduated in 2008 with a BA in Cello Performance. During this time at UNCG, Michael's main cello teacher was Brooks Whitehouse. Within those years, he spent summers studying with Pablo Muhave-Veglia at the Brevard Music Center, and Zvi Plesser from the Israeli Conservatory. From January-July 2007, Michael studied abroad in New Zealand with Rolf Gjelsten, cellist of the New Zealand String Quartet.

Since 2008, Michael has attended The University of Texas at El Paso, where he served as the graduate teaching assistant to cellist Zuill Bailey. At UTEP, Michael was the winner of the Annual Concerto and Aria Competition and recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Since graduating with a MM in Cello Performance, Michael has continued to serve as Mr. Bailey's assistant. He is also the cello sectional coach of the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras under the direction of Andres Moran.

While in El Paso, Michael has acquired and maintained a private cello studio. His students have competed in the TMEA All-Region competition and placed in the top orchestras for middle and high school. His students have also received the highest marks at the EPISD Solo/Ensemble Festival. Michael enjoys doing outreach performances and visits to the local middle and high school orchestras as well as retirement communities.

Michael play on a 1993 cello by Josef Pötzl, on generous loan from the Virtu Foundation and 1990 bow by José DaCunha.