Born in Bulgaria in 1990, Michael Petrov studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and with Louise Hopkins at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he is now a Fellow. During his studies Michael won numerous prizes and awards including 2nd Prize in the 2012 International Brahms Competition in Austria and 1st Prize in the 2011 International Suggia Competition in Porto. In 2013 he was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) and in 2014 won the Gold Medal at the GSMD, following a performance of Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1 at the Barbican. He went on to win the GSMD Wigmore Hall Prize in 2016. Over the last two years Michael has appeared as soloist with the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, City of London Sinfonia, English Chamber and the Barbican Young Orchestras performing concertos by Dvorák, Elgar, Haydn, Walton and Shostakovich. Other solo appearances include the Munich Chamber Orchestra and London Mozart Players. Nominated by the Barbican as ECHO Rising Star during the 2014/15 season Michael gave recitals at 18 major concert halls throughout Europe. Other highlights include recitals at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie's Weill Hall, the Bath International, Peasmarsh and Plush Festivals. This season Michael returns to Wigmore Hall twice, makes his debut with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, attends open chamber music at IMS Prussia Cove and gives recitals throughout the UK and Europe.

Erdem Misirlioglu was born in Ipswich in 1989 to a Turkish father and British mother. He began musical training at six, and piano lessons at nine, studying from the age of thirteen with Mark Fielding at Junior Guildhall, and then at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has also taken part in masterclasses with pianists such as Ronan O'Hora, Bernard Roberts, Peter Donohoe and Lang Lang. In 2006 he was a prizewinner in the International Rachmaninov Competition for Young Pianists and he won the Keyboard Instrument Prize at GSMD, and in 2008 he won the Principal's Prize at GSMD and was the piano winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year. He subsequently won 1st Prize in the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe's Intercollegiate Piano Competition. He is the pianist of the prize-winning Trio Isimsiz.

The Ellis Ensemble has quickly established itself as an exciting and brilliant chamber group with the unusual combination of piano, clarinet and bassoon. Described by Southbank Sinfonia as an “exceptional young trio” they have quickly been building a reputation through their virtuosity, expressive playing and original repertoire. Its members are three outstanding musicians much in demand internationally as orchestral, chamber and solo artists with regular performances at venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, Cadogan Hall and the Moscow Festival. As a trio they have made appearances at places including St John's Smith's Square, Buckingham Music Festival and St James's Piccadilly. They have been selected as 'Recommended Artists' by Making Music and are also selected as artists on King's Place's Chamber Studio programme. They have a strong commitment to championing both traditional works for this wonderful mixture of instruments as well as promoting new music by living composers. The British composer Hannah Kendall has arranged her piece Iscariot Blues for them which is being recorded for BBC Radio 3 broadcast and composer Shiva Feshareki is also writing a work for the trio. Other future projects include an Austrian concert tour in Spring 2018 and a recording featuring new and traditional works.

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