Since being a laureate in the Brussels Queen Elizabeth competition 1991, Jan Michiels has been known for his very personal and multi-layered approach to the piano repertoire, combining old and new in always changing perspectives. Numerous recordings testify his activity - to quote a few, 'Lost in Venice with Prometheus', 'The War of the Romantics' or 'Slavic Soul' contain music from Bach till today seen from the position of a performer composing his programs through a continuous dialogue with living music history.

Jan Michiels worked indeed closely with composers such as G. Kurtág, H. Holliger, H. Lachenmann, K. Goeyvaerts, K. Huber, R. Groslot and K. Defoort. One of his main inspiration sources is Luigi Nono, who stood at the centre of his doctorate in the Arts 'Teatro dell'Ascolto' (2011).

Apart from the 'ritual recitals' mentioned above he realized several complete cycles such as all Beethoven Sonatas, all works from the second Viennese School, all Debussy, all Bartók, all Brahms (piano solo and chamber music with piano). As a soloist he worked with numerous conductors, orchestras and ensembles - with Inge Spinette he forms the piano duo YinYang.