The first-generation American son of Brazilian immigrants, Michael Mardson McQuay is a native of Provo, Utah, although his performance career and music education have taken him to multiple locations around the globe. An active soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist, Michael has appeared in recital on three continents, including solo performances in France, Austria, Brazil, and throughout the United States. He has participated in extensive private study with the most world-renowned and distinguished artists and pedagogues including Angela Chang (Oberlin), Jeff Cohen (Manhattan), Alain Planes (Paris Conservatory), Alan Chow (Northwestern), Alvin Chow (Oberlin), Asaf Zohar (Tel Aviv University) and chamber music studies under prominent musicians including Janos Starker, Myron Bloom, Gary Arvin and Robert Harrison.
Michael was a prize winner in both national and international piano competitions including prizes at the Jefferson Symphony National Piano Competition and 1st prize at the 2004 Gina Bachauer International Piano Ensemble Competition.
A Phi Kappa Phi graduate from Brigham Young University, Michael graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance under the direction of Irene Peery-Fox, a mentor who has been involved in his musical training from a very young age. While at BYU he held the most prestigious of awards and scholarships including both a full-tuition academic scholarship and the C.H. Nye Piano Performance Scholarship and worked as part of the adjunct piano faculty.
Michael is a graduate of the world-renowned Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where he earned the degree Doctor of Music in Piano Performance & Literature. He was offered both the prestigious Dean's Scholarship and an Associate Instructorship, the highest financial award offered to piano performance graduate students, which includes an appointment to the piano faculty. Since his arrival at Indiana, Michael was a student of Distinguished Professor Menahem Pressler, founder of the legendary Beaux Arts Trio and revered pianist and pedagogue.
For 5 years Michael served as Mr. Pressler's studio and teaching assistant and enjoys an extensive and active teaching career--carrying on the great Pressler pedagogical legacy--teaching both privately and at the university level. His students have been admitted to both undergraduate and graduate music performance programs throughout the United States and are frequent prize-winners in music competitions. Michael is currently Professor of Piano at Brigham Young University - Idaho where he is an active pedagogue and performer. His wife, Dr. Alicia Duncan McQuay, is Professor of Harp at BYUI and is the coordinator of the harp performance program.