Michael Phelps is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and was awarded a Doctorate (Ph.D) at New York University for his study of Renaissance singers and their repertories.

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A native of Champaign Illinois Michael began piano studies at age 6 with Lenrose Jahiel and continued until attending University of Illinois where he chose a concentration in voice under the Chairman of the Vocal Division, Professor James Bailey.

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Pursuing graduate work in Philadelphia, Michael studied with Dr. Darryl Hobson-Byrd, vocal coach for both Curtis and AVA, frequently performed as a soloist, and conducted a concert series during his tenure as the Director of Music at the Church of our Savior, Jenkintown PA. Michael received a full fellowship from the Department of Music at New York University where he published several articles on early music topics, presented papers at the annual meeting of the American Musicological Society, as well as the Pontifical Institute of the Vatican in Rome, Italy.

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Michael has taught at Rutgers University and New York University as well as instructing private piano and vocal students both in New York and Philadelphia. He is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, American Musicological Society , American Guild of Organist, and The Renaissance Society of America.