About Pianomike

Pianomike (Michael Prikryl) was born on 14th of May, 1973, in Olomouc, Czech Republic. In 1981, he went to Germany. He graduated from "Gymnasium" (high school) in 1993. From 1994 to 1996 he has studied American English, Linguistics in English and French at University of Tübingen. He has also worked as on air host and reporter at the University's radio station Uniwelle Tübingen. From August 1996 to March 1999 he has studied at Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland, Oregon. There he got his Master's in Arts and Letters which includes English Writing and Journalism.
His thesis was a collection of original poetry in three languages: English, German and Czech. It also depicts translation problems in poetry and the phenomenon of writing poetry in a language other than the mother tongue.
Mike has also worked at Jefferson Public Radio, located on SOU's campus, as on air host, reporter and weathercaster Then he has worked for the rock station KZZE Medord (Oregon) as music host. Now, he is working as web site editor/designer at Internet Marketing Group in Ashland.

At the age of five, Mike began to play piano. At the age of twelve, he started writing his own songs, playing keyboards and singing. Ever since he has written close to a hundred songs and more than twenty instrumentals.

From May 1992 till December 1995, he has played with dance band Red Fox. From September 1993 till July 1996, he was keyboarder and singer of rock band Cheri Heat.

Since September 1996, Mike has been working more or less as soloist. In 1997 and 1998, he has performed with his friend Paul Hopp (guitars) mostly in the Rogue Valley, Oregon. Just at the turn of the new Millennium, Mike has released his first solo album "Pretty Girl".

 Besides playing piano/keyboards, songwriting and singing he's got other hobbies such as poetry writing, on air hosting, playing tennis, ice hockey, hiking and skiing. Mike speaks fluently German, English, Czech and French.