Michael is thirty three years old and lives by the seaside in Poole, Dorset. He started playing classical guitar when he was eleven, because his parents thought their son should have an interest outside of school.

He made his first public performance at the age of twelve and gave his first solo recital at Poole Arts Centre just before his fifteenth birthday. Shortly afterwards Michael was offered a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in London. He studied there for four years, firstly with Michael Edmonds and later David Miller and Robert Brightmore.

In 1992 Michael entered the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and after beating over one hundred other string players, gained a place in the String Semi-Finals.

A year later Michael left the Guildhall to continue his studies in Cardiff at the Welsh College of Music & Drama. Whilst there he studied guitar with renowned British guitarist John Mills and music technology with Roger Butler and Leif Keane.

During his time in Wales, Michael played live on BBC Radio Solent and BBC Radio Wales as well as appearing on S4C (Welsh Channel 4). In his final year at the college Michael made his national radio debut as part of the BBC Radio Two Young Musicians' Series, being only the second guitarists to do so in the history of the competition.