Michael Fuller

Michael hails from the United States and prior to joining the Philharmonia in 2010 he performed in the Minnesota Orchestra for two years. He was also a founding member and Principal Bass of the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, based in Switzerland. In 2023 he was appointed as Head of International Touring and Projects for the VFCO, charged with building the activity, profile and strategy of the ensemble. As a player, Michael performs as a guest with the San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and numerous other groups as well as playing on scores for films, TV series and video game soundtracks, notably with COOL Music in London. In 2022 he was invited by Paavo Järvi to join the Estonian Festival Orchestra.

Michael has been an active member within the Philharmonia’s self-governing structure, and served on the Board of the orchestra for over a decade. In 2018 he was elected Chair of the Board and subsequently was appointed as Interim Managing Director to lead artistic and business operations for a year and a half in 2019 and 2020. This period which saw the appointment of Principal Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, a reorganisation of the orchestra’s governance, and the creation of the acclaimed digital concerts after the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Michael grew up in California, spending most of his free time playing basketball and other sports. As a teenager he discovered the electric bass and became very enthusiastic about practicing and making music with his friends, recording several albums and performing in clubs around the San Francisco Bay Area. At age 19 he began playing the double bass and after two years on the instrument was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music in New York City as a student of Timothy Cobb, then Principal Bass of the Metropolitan Opera (currently Principal of the New York Philharmonic). During Michael’s time in New York, he was also a busy freelance musician, performing with many ensembles and serving as Assistant Principal Bass in the New Haven Symphony. Other influential teachers include Leigh Mesh, Associate Principal at the Met, Shinji Eshima of the San Francisco Opera, and Barry Green. He has served as Double Bass Instructor at Royal Holloway, University of London and coached students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as well as teaching privately.

Chair endowed anonymously.

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Watch a film featuring Michael Fuller: