He has worked as a Higher School Certificate music composition examiner, and represented northern rural N.S.W. at the 1985 Asian Composers Conference. In 1986 he undertook a short course of study in traditional Chinese instrumental music performance at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, and upon his return to Australia his a capella composition The Jade Flute was awarded first prize in the 1988 Intervarsity Choral Composition Competition.

Michiel Irik's music has been performed in Australia by The Magpie Musicians, Windbags, duo pianists Nigel Butterly and Deborah Priest, the Sydney Mandolins, Australysis, and the Ku-Ring-Gai Philharmonic and Armidale Symphony orchestras. His music has also been recorded and broadcast on ABC-FM, 2MBS-FM and 2ARM-FM, and more recently in Belgium and the Netherlands by the Duo Contemporain, the Selmer Saxophone Quartet, and the Bass Clarinettist Henri Bok. From 1990-1993 Michiel Irik was guest conductor with the Armidale Symphony Orchestra. For many years he was Vice-president of the Fellowship of Australian Composers.

Michiel's most recent composition performed by TOPS was his Music for Orchestra, which he conducted on 29 August 2004.

Michiel has contributed to the Trombonis Australis project.

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