J. Michael Holmes is a talented solo and chamber musician whose active playing career has seen him performing at numerous venues in the United States and also Europe and Taiwan. In the fall of 2009, Holmes was named as Visiting Guest Lecturer in Saxophone at the University of Illinois and Michael is ABD for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Saxophone Performance. Holmes holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University where he was a student of Distinguished Research/Artist Professor John Sampen and his Master’s degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Illinois where he was the graduate saxophone teaching assistant for Professor Debra Richtmeyer. He has had additional studies with Jean-Marie Londeix, Claude Delangle, Griffin Campbell, Daniel Kientzy, and Eugene Rousseau. An interview about Michael’s emerging career as a saxophonist was published in the January/February 2008 Saxophone Journal. Michael has also been training in the "Alexander Technique" since July 2009. As a Selmer artist Michael plays Selmer Paris saxophones exclusively and as a Vandoren Artist he plays Vandoren reeds, ligatures, and mouthpieces exclusively.

Michael is married to saxophonist Joyce Griggs and resides in Urbana, IL.

Michael may be contacted at michael@michaelholmesmusic.com.

News:
- Michael performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in October and December 2009.
- Michael was named as Visiting Guest Lecturer in Saxophone at the University of Illinois for the fall of 2009.
- In September 2009 Michael recorded with the Philharmonia a Vent ensemble on the Klavier Record Label.
- Michael is the Director of the BGSU Saxophone Camp.
- Michael is the Co-Headmaster of the ISYM Saxophone Camp.
- 2008 Saxophone Journal Article featuring Michael: PAGE 1 - PAGE 2