Born in 1980 in Saint Petersburg into a family of musicians, Mikhail Yakovlev began playing the violin at age four. He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and earned his soloist diploma under Mikhail Gantwarg. Simultaneously, he studied in Switzerland at the Tibor Varga Music Academy and the International Yehudi Menuhin Academy.

Since 2006, Mikhail has been a member of the Basel Symphony Orchestra and maintains an active solo and chamber music career. He also teaches violin at IMUKA – International Music and Art Academy in Zurich, sharing his expertise with a new generation of musicians.