Michael Cox enjoys a rich and varied musical life. He was Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra for five years before moving to the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he is the solo flutist of two top UK chamber orchestras, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the London Mozart Players. He has appeared widely as a soloist in all continents and made many concerti, recital and chamber recordings (including for Sony, Naxos, EMI). A popular artist internationally, Michael Cox has been asked to play at festivals in Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Ireland, Brasil, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, USA and Scotland in just the last few months.
Years of dedication to the performance of new music has led to direct collaborations with composers such as Stockhausen, Boulez, Reich, Berio, Dutilleux, Adams and Takemitsu amongst the greats, as well as with rafts of composers of the younger generations. He has given world and UK premieres of a great number of solo pieces (many of them written for him) and he is a composer in his own right. In 2009, Michael Cox joined the UK’s foremost new music ensemble, the London Sinfonietta. He also enjoys performing on period instruments and is active in studio and film studio work.
Michael left the BBC Symphony Orchestra this year after 25 years to concentrate on more self-curated projects and to work with a wider range of orchestras and ensembles as well as working more in the film music sector. Since then, he has been guest Principal Flute with the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
A passionate and committed teacher, Michael Cox has given classes in many parts of the world, is a professor of flute at the Royal Academy of Music (from where many of his students have gone on to hold positions in orchestras around the world) and is Artistic Director of a unique orchestral training website, Principal Chairs. A book focusing on his teaching is currently being prepared by Australian flutist Joanna Sullivan. Michael is an International Artist for Altus flutes.