Michael Holmes has always been active in a wide spectrum of musical pursuits. While spending much of his early career performing as a professional French hornist, his interests gradually shifted toward conducting and early music. Since then, he has performed extensively as a conductor in Europe, leading symphonic and opera performances with ensembles such as the Filharmonia Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic), the Slezske Divadlo (Silesian State Opera), the Brasov Philarmonic (Romania), the Filharmonia Sudecka (Poland), and the Varna (Bulgaria) Philharmonic. In Finland, he has performed with the early music ensembles Juhanna-herttuan sinkkit ja pasuunat and Sonus Borealis. Holmes is presently principal guest conductor of the Vidin Philharmonic of Bulgaria.

His artistic activities in North America deal mostly with early music and scholarly pursuits. Currently he serves as music director and principal conductor of the Orchestra of the 17th Century, artistic director of the Washington Cornett & Sackbutt Ensemble (one of the USA's premiere period brass ensembles), and director of the University of Maryland Collegium Musicum. Hailed by the Washington Post as "a master of the recorder, crumhorn, and sackbut." Holmes has performed on various historic instruments and/or as a vocalist with such ensembles as Stylus Luxurians, the Washington Bach Consort, the Bach Sinfonia, Musica Antiqua, the Washington Baroque Trio, the Boston Shawm and Sackbut Ensemble, Piffaro, and Abendmusiken at the Amherst Early Music Festival.

After an exciting early performing career which still continues, Michael Holmes is now pursuing his PhD in Musicology while also serving as an adjunct Lecturer at the University of Maryland. Finally, Holmes has extensive experience as a church musician and choir director. Currently, he serves as music director at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring in Maryland.

Michael Holmes plays a Lyon-Healy, Austrian-built tenor horn from c. 1890-1905

See the instrument (coming soon)