for cello, by cellists Ben Michaels

• Jakob Kullberg (b. 1976): Single the Sky - A Fever Dream:
• 1 Kullberg: Single the Sky - A Fever Dream 08:05
• Laura Moody: Mandala:
• 2 Moody: Mandala 09:54
• Ayanna Witter-Johnson (b. 1985): Amethyst Sings:
• 3 Witter-Johnson: Amethyst Sings 06:16
• Zoë Martlew: Inila:
• 4 Martlew: Inila 11:53
• Kit Downes (b. 1986): Kasei Valles:
• 5 Downes: Kasei Valles: I. 02:50
• 6 Downes: Kasei Valles: II. 02:38
• 7 Downes: Kasei Valles: III. 02:41
• Colin Alexander (ca. 1527 - 1612): Towards the Flame:
• 8 Alexander: Towards the Flame: I. 05:37
• 9 Alexander: Towards the Flame: II. 07:24
• 10 Alexander: Towards the Flame: III. 02:19
• 11 Alexander: Towards the Flame: IV. 03:27
• Total Runtime 01:03:04

Info for for cello, by cellists

For his first solo recording, Ben Michaels presents six specially commissioned works, all of them written by fellow cellists whose creative lives extend well beyond the conventional boundaries of instrumental performance. Composers, improvisers, theatre-makers and songwriters, Jakob Kullberg, Laura Moody, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Zoë Martlew, Kit Downes and Colin Alexander each approach the cello from a distinct artistic perspective, revealing unexpected possibilities within a familiar instrument.

The resulting works differ widely in scale, language and technique: lyrical melodies sit alongside whispered textures, choreographed movement and striking new sonorities. Yet beneath their diversity lies a shared understanding of the cello’s physical and expressive character. Together, they form a portrait of the instrument seen through six individual imaginations – music shaped not only by cellists, but by artists exploring what the cello can become in the twenty-first century.

Ben Michaels, cello

Ben Michaels
is a British cellist based in London, passionate about exploring all the ways the cello can be made useful to music.

Ben is equally likely to be found playing historical, modern or prepared instruments. In the last year, he has performed baroque opera with The English Concert, Berlioz with Simon Rattle and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Mozart piano concerti with András Schiff and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and world premieres with London Sinfonietta at the Cervantino Festival in Mexico.

He is committed to celebrating the creation of new music, regularly working with composers to premiere or commission new works. His debut solo album - for cello, by cellists - will be released by Delphian Records in September 2026; 6 newly commissioned solo works written by different cellist-composers. He was awarded the inaugural Keith Harvey Award by the British Cello Society in support of this project. Three years later he was invited to become an executive board member of the Society, to encourage other cellists to explore new music.

He is grateful for a musical life in which he enjoys collaborations that continually shape his way of playing. Previously, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music where he had regular lessons with Felix Schmidt, John Myerscough and Joseph Crouch. Long before making the decision to study and follow his passion in music, he was particularly thankful for the patience of his father, Joel Michaels, who taught him until he was a teenager.

Ben plays on a Gaetano Gadda cello, generously provided on loan by an anonymous benefactor.

Booklet for for cello, by cellists