Michael Bridge finished 4th in the World at both the 2011 Junior Coupe Mondiale and in the 2011 Roland Digital World Accordion Championships. He has performed live with the Boston Pops for the hit NPR radio show, "From the Top". Though only 18, he has won every major accordion championship in Western Canada and now his musical travels are leading him around the world: China, Croatia, France, Italy, Las Vegas, Florida, Washington D.C., and many other parts of North America.
One of the most versatile accordionist of today, he is equally at home performing Great Composer like Bach and Haydn, Contemporary Works, Polkas and Waltzes, Jazz standards, Zydeco and Ethnic music, or Pop hits.
Michael began piano lessons at age four and piano accordion lessons at age seven. Under the guidance of his long-time teachers Beverley Fess (accordion) and Donna Holloboff (piano), Michael completed the Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 10 curriculum on both instruments. He has embarked on intensive theoretical studies, from Middle Ages to present, under esteemed Canadian composers Robert Rosen and Timothy Janz. He has also spent years developing the ability to jam or improvise in any style of music - from jazz to classical, from folk to pop songs-- and strongly believes that this is an essential quality to any musician regardless of their musical tastes. Now, he has embarked on a new journey at the University of Toronto, studying classical accordion under the world-renowned pedagogue, Joseph Macerollo.
At the age of fourteen, Michael released his first CD of original compositions entitled "My Stuff," followed by a book of sheet music to match the CD. His second CD of original works, "Sharon's Song," was released in October 2009. In 2010, he released his third solo album, "Old Time Favourites," as a tribute to the hundreds of traditional dance pieces he has learned over time. He is now scheduled to release his fourth album in 2012, merging pop, old time, and classical genres.
Michael is a powerful and engaging musician who is determined to raise the profile of the accordion and bayan for the next generation. He is passionate about classical music but also performs as a one-man band playing popular, folk/dance, jazz, or pop tunes.
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