Mikhail Zemtsov started his musical studies at the age of 5 with his mother. Then he studied in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Prof. G. Odinetz,) and he got Soloist Diplomas with Distinction from ABRSM (GB, B. Dinerstein) Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg (Germany,M. Nichetianu) and Maastricht Conservatory (Netherlands, M. Kugel).

Mikhail Zemtsov participated in numerous International Festivals in European and American continents being chamber music partner to Bella Davidovitch,Sarah Chang, Misha Maisky, Dmitri Sitkovetski, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Alexander Markovitch, Liza Ferschtman, Quirine Viersen and Plamena Mangova among others. Since 2007 Mikhail plays in duo with the world famous pianist Boris Berezovsky. Mikhail is as well member of the Duo Macondo with dutch guitarrist Enno Voorhorst.

Mikhail recorded six CD's with chamber music on Sony Masterworks, Tower records, Deutche Welle Koeln. Zemtsov's soloCD "The Last Rose of Summer" was on the 2nd place by top 50 of TROS (Dutch Broadcast and Television) and it got 9 points ("exellent") at the "LUISTER" magazine.

Zemtsovs solo appearances include performances with the Moscow Conservatory Chamber Orchestra, Lima Philharmonic, New World Chamber Orchestra,National Symphony of Mexico, Luxembourg Philharmonic (R.Strauss "Don Quixote" with Misha Maisky as cello soloist), Wiener Volksoper, Hamburger Symphoniker, ODSO (Canada), Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (Norway), Residence Orchestra. He has performed recitals in Russia, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg,Sweden, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, USA, Canada, South Corea, Mexico and Peru.

Since 2001 Mikhail Zemtsov is appointed principal violist in the Residence Orchestra, The Hague, Holland (chef conductor Neeme Jaervi).

Mikhail Zemtsov is prizewinner of the 1st International Viola Competition (1998, Vienna, Austria) and Elisa Mayer String Competition (1998, Hamburg, Germany).