Michael Wilhite began his musical training on the classical guitar, studying under Reed Gilchrist, Howard Heitmeyer, Joseph Trotter and pianist Conrad Bruderer. An interest in early music led him to the lute, and to performance with the Renaissance ensemble The Guidonian Hand.

At that time Mr. Wilhite began the practice of building many of the instruments he plays. Teachers and influences in luthiery include Sidney Greenstein, Albert Fischer, Robert Lundberg and Jesse Wells.

In recent years he adopted the viola da gamba with training from Tim Scott, Joanna Blendulf and Craig Trompeter. Locally he has collaborated with numerous singers and instrumentalists, and appeared with groups including Cantores in Ecclesia, Urban Baroque and the William Byrd Festival. Mr. Wilhite founded the Wildwood Consort in 2008 and serves as its Artistic Director.

For the Wildwood Consort, Mr. Wilhite focuses on continuo playing, currently on a 13-course "swan-neck" archlute in G after J.C. Hoffman, and a 14-course theorbo after Beuchenberg, fitted as a bass lute in D. He plays a 6-string English viol after Barak Norman and has a 7-string French viol after Michel Colichon on the workbench.