Born in Athens in 1954, Greek-French violist Michel Michalakakos began to study viola at thirteen with his father Christos Michalakakos. He entered the Conservatory of Paris in Collete Lequien’s viola class and Joseph Calvet’s chamber music class. He left in 1977 with a First Prize in viola and received his teaching certificate a year later. He joined the Orchestre National de France from 1979 to 1984 and the Paris String Trio, with Jean Grout and Charles Frey, from 1981 to 1993.

Michalakakos is regularly invited to perform with orchestras from France and abroad. He also performs frequent chamber recitals with many distinguished performers and ensembles. Open to many types of music, he also participates in tango, jazz, romani music, and traditional folk music concerts. Since 2008, Michalakakos has been the artistic director of Aux Ormes Mozartiens Festival. His discography includes Sonatas for viola and piano by Brahms and Schumann, viola concertos of J. Chr. Bach, Stamitz, and Handel, and a complete edition of Brahms’ piano quartets and quintet.

Since 1991, Michalakakos has been a professor at the Conservatory of Paris and also teaches at the Conservatory of Boulogne-Biancourt. He frequently conducts masterclasses in Europe, Japan, Canada, and the USA.

Michalakakos plays a Gasparo da Salo viola from 1560.