Press criticism

At the beginning of the Brahms-year, we received some very important recordings: symphonies with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, stringquintets with the Hagens and pianomusic with Jan Michiels.

His interpretation was compelling, feverish and exciting-resulting in a long ovation.

Jeanne Loriod (ondes Martenot) and Jan Michiels, both superb presences…

GRAND MERCI for the cd Ligeti-Etudes I’m very impressed (already before, I liked your playing)

What a perfect technical mastery, what a physical power, what a breathttaking musicality! 

Every expression is present, unnecessary sentiment doesn’t have a chance. An important recording on the international scene.(about Liszt (Eufoda)

His affinity with Central-Europe covers all ages.

Michiels’ version doesn’t have anything demonstrative and the delicate pieces are shaped like in a mineral light.(about Ligeti-Etudes (Megadisc)

In this original coupling Bach/Nancarrow, the British pianist Joanna McGregor was already ahead of him. But the precision and the flexibility that characterized his maintaining of Nancarrow’s pleasantly disturbing derailments in one imperturbable groove, was impressive and surpassed largely the…

The orchestra Beethovenacademie, the conductor Peter Eötvös and Jan Michiels have played in a wonderful way-with their interpretations they reached to the essence of each piece a.o. ‘quasi una fantasia’ op.27,1 of G.Kurtág (…). Jan Michiels went to the deepest…

You could also hear Bach in the most devilish concert of the festival Saintes & late in the evening, Jan Michiels plays for almost two hours short pieces of Bach, Bartók, Ligeti, Kurtág and Janácek. There is not one piece…