Dr. Mikhail Bugaev received his Doctorate at Michigan State University where he studied with Yuri Gandelsman. Prior to his study in the United States, Mikhail was a member of Novosibirsk State Academic Orchestra and Novosibirsk Kamerata. Dr. Bugaev obtained his Masters and Bachelors degree from Novosibirsk State Conservatoire, where he was a student of Yuri Mazchenko. Mikhail received first prize at Novosibirsk State Conservatory Competition in 2000, second prize Russia’s International Young Artist Competition in 2001(Krasnoyarsk, Russia); he was a winner of the Concerto Competition at MSU in 2011(East Lansing, MI). Dr. Bugaev holds assistant principal positions at West Michigan Symphony, Traverse Symphony; section viola at Lansing, Flint, and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. Mikhail performed as a soloist with Novosibirsk Academic Orchestra, Novosibirsk Kamerata, MSU Symphony, and MSU philharmonic orchestras. As a chamber musician, Mikhail participated at Music Mountain Festival in Connecticut with St. Petersburg Quartet, at Cello Plus Festival at MSU, performed at the Lansing Symphony Chamber Series Concerts as a member of Armonia String Quartet and at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp faculty concerts.

Dr. Bugaev teaches violin and viola at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Okemos Music Academy, and privately. Recent solo and chamber performances included: Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with Livingston Symphony Orchestra (David Schultz, conductor, Diana Moisejenkaite, violin), Loeffleur's Two Rhapsodies, Duos and arrangements for 2 violas by Zaytsev, Leclair, Corelli, performed with Valentina Shmyreva at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.