MICHAEL KIRBY was born in Hereford (England), in 1965. 
 
He began his musical education at the age of eight, singing as a soloist in the renowned Gloucester Cathedral Choir, with whom he made several recordings and television broadcasts for the BBC and Eurovision. During this time he performed with the choir and as a soloist in the “Three Choirs Festival” working with orchestras and conductors of great prestige. On leaving the choir he received an award for his exceptional qualities as a Chorister. He also commenced his clarinet tuition at the age of eight. 

At the age of thirteen he was admitted to the Chethams School of Music in Manchester (England). This academy is dedicated exclusively to the education of children with special musical talent. During his years there, Michael studied with Graham Turner, who was Principal Bass Clarinet of the Hallé Orchestra. 

He moved to London where he continued his studies with Gordon Lewin, noted composer, saxophonist and clarinettist, and with Jack Brymer OBE. During this time he was Principal Clarinet in the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra, the Cheltenham Young Peoples Orchestra and the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra. Also at this time he began his career as a soloist with great success. 

Michael continued his studies at the noted Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under the tutelage of Jack Brymer OBE. It was here that he received classes from other teachers such as, Anthony Pay, Anton Weinberg, Andrew Marriner, Colin Bradbury, Gervase de Peyer and Angela Malmesbury, among others. As a member of all the orchestras of the Guildhall School he worked with conductors such as Henze, Handley, Leaper, Lubbock, Ashkenazy etc. 

As a member of the European Community Youth Orchestra, he twice toured the continent visiting Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. He performed with conductors Claudio Abbado, James Judd, Elibhu Inbal, Jesus Lopez Cobos and Lüz Köhler. Also at this time Michael was leader of the London Wind Ensemble that worked extensively with the BBC and also performed with the conductor Geoffrey Brand in London. 

Michael has won many prestigious awards in England, Cheltenham Festival gold medal, Lloyds Bank / Bromsgrove Young Musician´s Platform and was a finalist in the London Symphony Orchestra Shell Scholarship. 

Since 1987, Michael has held the position of Principal Clarinet of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and head of the clarinet department at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Tenerife. During his time on the island, he has participated in numerous chamber music concerts. He has been invited to perform in the Casinos of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Puerto de la Cruz for their Chamber Music week. The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra has invited Michael many times to play as guest soloist during its regular season performing works by Neilsen, Mozart, Copland, Finzi, Weber etc., with conductors Edmon Colomer and Matthias Bammert, etc. As a member of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, he has worked with conductors such as Maurizio Barbacini, Gilbert Varga, Antoni Ros-Marba, Victor Pablo Perez. Phillipe Entremont, John Lubbock, Tomas Vasary, Ronald Zollman, Viktor Liberman, Krysztof Penderecki etc. 

Michael is also a teacher in the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra Academy where he prepares his students to become professionals and to work with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra. 

During the month of August 2000, Michael was invited to play as soloist with the Young Peoples Youth Chamber Orchestra in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and will be returning on numerous occasions in the near future. Michael will be performing many chamber music concerts during the official season of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra 2000/01 and around the Canary Islands. 

Michel G. Kirby is the Orchestra Manager and founder together with composer Diego Navarro, of the Tenerife Film Orchestra & Choir, the first private Symphony Orchestra & Choir created in Spain for the performing and recording of Film Music. The TFO & CHOIR is the official orchestra of FIMUCITÉ, the Tenerife International Film Music Festival.