Michael Giel has served as Principal Conductor for the Capitol City Opera Company in Atlanta since 2010 and is also the Associate Conductor for the Atlanta Pops Orchestra. Praised for his “infectious onstage energy” and “vivacious demeanor,” (Arts ATL), he is currently in his first season as the conductor of the Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra and spent seven seasons as the Associate Conductor for the California Piano Concerto Festival in San Jose, CA.

 

He received his Bachelor of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education from Valdosta State University and completed a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of Georgia. Michael served as the Orchestra Director for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program at Valdosta State University from 2008 to 2014 and has been a clinician for the Atlanta Public, Cherokee, DeKalb, Fulton, and Muscogee County orchestra festivals.

 

As a conductor, violinist and violist, he has performed with several orchestras in Georgia and Florida including the Savannah Philharmonic, Gwinnett Philharmonic, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, Ocmulgee Symphony, Gainesville (GA) Symphony, Albany (GA) Symphony, Coastal Symphony of Georgia, Rome (GA) Symphony, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Ludwig Symphony Orchestra, Da Salo Solisti Chamber Orchestra, LaGrange Symphony, and the Central Florida Symphony.

 

In the modern music arena, Michael has performed with and for artists such as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Josh Groban, Chloe Agnew (Celtic Woman), John Hopkins (Zac Brown Band), Debby Boone, Il Volo, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, Evanescence, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Sarah Brightman, Lindsey Stirling, Il Divo, and the rapper T.I. in a pair of concerts in which Rolling Out Magazine said his conducting provided the “sonic magic.” Michael is a native of Atlanta and lives in Brookhaven with his wife Catherine, who is a concert pianist, and both play in the rock band Full Service featuring Catherine on keyboard and Michael on electric bass. In his spare time, Michael is an avid tennis player and outdoor enthusiast.