Georges Miquelle

Who was Georges Miquelle?

George Miquelle was born in Lille, France, and began his studies at the age of five when he entered the Lille Conservatoire. At seven, he took up the cello, studying under Emil Dienne. Before he was 19 he had won two first prizes playing at the Lille Conservatoire and at the Paris Conservatoire. After a brief but successful period of concertizing in Europe, Miquelle came to America with the French Military Band in May 1918 and toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada. While in Boston he was engaged by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He left the orchestra in 1920 to devote himself to ensemble playing. In 1920-21 he was cellist with the New York Chamber Music Society. He joined the Boston String Quartet in 1921 and in 1923 toured the country with Dame Nellie Melba and Tito Schipa. Between 1923 and 1954, Miquelle was solo cellist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. During this period he gave numerous sonata recitals and chamber music concerts with Ossip Gabrilowitsch, conductor of the Detroit Symphony from 1918 to 1936. He was also solo cellist with the Chautauqua Summer Symphony for 15 years.