Michael Blake was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1951. He studied at the South African College of Music in Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg (Bachelor of Music degree) and University of London Goldsmiths College (Master of Music degree). In 2000 he was awarded a doctorate by Rhodes University in South Africa. From 1977 to 1997 he was based in London as composer, pianist and teacher. He formed London New Music in 1986 and was the group’s pianist and conductor for ten years, giving many concerts and broadcasts in the UK and Europe. He performs throughout the world as a soloist and in a number of duos, playing new music. He has lectured at amongst others, Goldsmiths College (London), Rhodes University (Grahamstown) and the Janacek Academy (Brno). He is Artistic Director of New Music Indaba, South Africa’s only new music festival, and President of the South African Section of the ISCM.
Web: http://www.bardic-music.com/Blake.htm (2010)