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About Michael

J. Michael Holmes is a talented solo and chamber musician who “…is emerging as one of America’s stars in the world of the concert saxophone” (states saxophonist John Sampen). Professor Holmes’ active playing career has seen him performing at some of the most prestigious venues in the United States, including Carnegie Hall, and also throughout Europe and Taiwan. Holmes has shared the stage with artists ranging from Ben Folds to The Temptations – Manhattan Transfer to Idina Menzel… just to name a few. Mr. Holmes is currently Clinical Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Illinois School of Music as well as the Enrollment Management Director for the School of Music. Prior to his appointment at the University of Illinois, Michael was the Director of Marketing for Reed Instruments at Conn-Selmer, Inc. and had previously held the position of Artistic Advisor and Product Specialist with the Vandoren Corporation.

Michael has presented clinics, masterclasses, and given performances at some of the most prestigious saxophone programs in the United States. Professor Holmes also held recent appointments at the University of Oregon as Visiting Guest Artist as well as Guest Instructor of Music at the University of Notre Dame. Holmes is ABD for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Saxophone Performance, holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University where he was a student of Distinguished Research/Artist Professor John Sampen, and a Masters degree in Saxophone Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois where he was the graduate saxophone teaching assistant for Professor Debra Richtmeyer. He has had additional studies with saxophonists Jean-Marie Londeix, Claude Delangle, Griffin Campbell, Daniel Kientzy, and Eugene Rousseau.