Michael Ayala

Michael is a third-year Viola Fellow at the New World Symphony. As an avid orchestral player, his recent highlights include being Co-Principal of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago’s 2023-24 season, as well as being a guest musician with the Chicago Symphony. He is a section player of the Camerata of Chicago, Adrian Symphony and has been a guest musician with the Ann Arbor Symphony. He won the Northwestern’s Viola Prize and was a prizewinner in the Thaviu String Competition. 

In the summers, Michael has performed at various festivals on a fellowship including the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and School, National Repertory Orchestra and Montecito International Music Festival. He has also performed in master classes with prominent violists including Choong-Jin (CJ) Chang, Ivo Van Der Werff, Lawrence Neuman, Richard O’Neil and Karen Dreyfus. 

With a passion for teaching, Michael is on faculty at the Music Conservatory of Illinois, a viola teacher with Michigan’s Success Through Readiness Program at the University of Michigan, and group violin instructor with the Sphinx Overture Program. 

Michael earned his master of music degree from the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University as a recipient of the Eckstein Scholarship and his bachelor of music degree from the University of Michigan. His primary teachers include Helen Callus, Yizhak Schotten and Weijing Michal of the Chicago Symphony.