​Described by Richard Sisson as having a "highly individual sound world" that is "both beautiful and piercingly astringent at once," Michael Mills composes music that addresses topics of the human condition through an extremely personal lens. Michael is particularly interested in exploring and embracing the paradox of universality amongst highly individualistic lives through a musical voice characterized by visceral timbres and the interaction between what he describes as "organic" and "inorganic" sounds. 

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Michael’s music has garnered performances throughout America, on public radio, across Europe, and in Asia, including many festival appearances such as the Thailand Music and Arts Organization's IntAct Festival, the highSCORE contemporary music festival, and the Valencia International Performing Arts Summer Festival. He considers himself lucky to have worked with with a number of talented ensembles and musicians such as Taceti(i), Dal Niente, Popebama, Mariel Roberts, David Friend, and more.

 

Beyond composing, Michael is active as an educator, engraver, and promoter of new music. In 2023, Michael along with his colleagues Meg Huskin, and Ben Ross, Michael formed the Baltimore based TellTale Opera Theatre, an organization dedicated to commissioning and producing contemporary operatic works with a focus on inclusivity and an expansive idea of what the genre can be. 

 

Michael graduated in 2023 with an M.M. in Composition from The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied primarily with Dr. Felipe Lara. He earned earned a B.A. in Music: Composition and Technology as well as a minor in Psychology from Virginia Tech in 2019 where he studied with Dr. Charles Nichols and Dr. Eric Lyon.