Violist Michael Hill is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He began his viola studies at the age of seventeen and continued his education with Masao Kawasaki and Dr. Catharine Carroll earning a Bachelor of Music at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Moving to Louisville, Michael completed a Master of Music at the University of Louisville’s School of Music with Dr. Chien-Ju Liao and Dr. Yen-Ting Wu. He was a member of the Graduate String Quartet and also served as principal viola and teaching assistant to the viola studio throughout the program. He served as principal viola for the KMEA Intercollegiate All-State Orchestra and has appeared as a guest soloist for KMEA. He completed a Master of Music in string pedagogy in 2016, Michael works frequently with viola students and chamber music ensembles from elementary, middle, high school, and advanced students.Michael has performed as an orchestral and chamber musician at the Aspen Musical Festival and School and as principal violist with the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca, Italy. He collaborates on chamber music performances, Broadway musicals, recordings, and new works by local composers. He has performed with several orchestras in Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and on Baroque viola with Bourbon Baroque, The Bloomington Bach Cantata Project, and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra. He is currently a member of the viola section in the Paducah Symphony Orchestra.Continuing Suzuki teacher training, Michael has completed Violin Books 1-10 through the University of Louisville through long-term form teacher training under Dr. Timothy Durbin and is continuing the viola courses each summer under William Preucil, Sr. He teaches a studio of nearly 30 talented violinists and violists and is often a guest for college and pre-college masterclasses and competitions in Louisville and surrounding areas.