A graduate of Ball State and Miami Universities, Michael Rathke has studied organ with
Ruth Wakeland and Lenora McCroskey. He received his early organbuilding training with
Goulding & Wood, Inc. of Indianapolis; he later joined the staff of C.B. Fisk, Inc. of
Gloucester, Massachusetts where he served a formal five-year apprenticeship
 as well as a further two years working as a voicer and tonal finisher.

After completing his Opus 1, he traveled to England to begin a two-year association with Mander
Organs of London, where he assisted in the comprehensive restorations of the 1871 Father Willis
organ in London's Royal Albert Hall and the 1766 George England, Sr. organ at the
Danson Mansion in Kent. During this time, he also participated in the tonal finishing
of Fisk's landmark instrument in the Cathedrale in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Michael Rathke returned to the U.S. in 2004 to resume organbuilding under his own name.
His focus continues to be the building, restoration, and conservation of fine mechanical-action instruments.