Mikael was born and raised in Northern California, though his family hails from the small East African nation of Eritrea. His journey into the art of Byzantine chant began during his college years at UC Davis, where he later furthered his studies under the guidance of his teacher, John Michael Boyer, at the St. John Koukouzelis Institute of Liturgical Arts in 2019. During his time at UC Davis, Mikael also earned a minor in music with an emphasis in vocal performance, performing numerous classical works with the University Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, including compositions by J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Additionally, he was an active member of a men’s a cappella group, performing in concerts across the state and competing in vocal competitions such as the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA).

Mikael has served as Protopsaltis at several parishes across California including Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in San Francisco, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Sacramento, and Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Downey. Over the past four years, he has had the privilege of chanting the services of Holy Week and Pascha alongside His Eminence Metropolitan GERASIMOS, accompanying him on his travels throughout the Metropolis of San Francisco. Currently, Mikael chants at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco, and he continues to refine his yphos and vocal technique under the mentorship of his friend and colleague, Eleftherios Chasanidis, preserving the rich tradition of Byzantine chant.