Singing since childhood, his life in a par excellence rural community, his contact with simple folk, his authentic aural and life experiences, all helped form a solid foundation and motive for him to busy himself systematically with the traditional songs of Cyprus (circa 1983).

In the beginning of his career, he took Byzantine Music lessons under Theodoulos Kallinikos, a leading Greek Orthodox cantor and researcher and interpreter of traditional Cypriot music. Michalis also collaborated with the “Adoulotoi (unenslaved) – Shakallis” refugee folklore association and, as a singer, also appeared for a number of years with well-known traditional instrumentalists such as Yeorgios Averof, Michalis Poullos, Demetris Katsaris, Christodoulos Pipis and others.

He has appeared on a number of radio and television programmes both in Cyprus and abroad, while he has also participated in many folk music festivals as well as in other international events.

Since 1992, he leads the “Mousa” (muse) musical troupe, which performs solely on traditional Cypriot instruments and gives concerts both in Cyprus and abroad.

He has also collaborated, and continues to do so, with many students of musicology and related fields as per their theses. He has also carried out several studies into demotic song.

Discography:
Personal recordings:
1. «Kypraia Foni” (Cyprus Voice) - traditional Cypriot songs - 1991 (vinyl).
2. «Ton Yennon dje tis Lambris” (Of Christmas and Easter) - Cypriot and other Greek carols, religious songs of Cyprus and hymns - 1998 (CD).
3. «Kypraia Foni – St’ahnarka ton Djeron» (Cyprus Voice - Tracing back through the Years) 2002. A double CD, accompanied by a booklet in four languages (Greek, English, French, German)
4. «Kypraia Foni – Kalos Irtan I Xenoi mas» (Cyprus Voice – Welcome to our Guests) 2008. A double CD, accompanied by an insert in Greek and a CD-ROM in English, Turkish, French and German.

Participations:
“Stes Akres tis Psyshis mou” Michalis Mozoras 2001
“Our Occupied Village…” Larkos Larkou 2003
“Nosta p’Agapithikamen” Young Volunteers 2006
“Paraloges” Domna Samiou 2008

The sources from which he draws his songs and their interpretation are:
• His personal aural experiences, as heard from authentic performances in the area in which he was raised.
• The interpretations of other older, acknowledged performers of traditional Cypriot music.
• Recordings of songs performed by the few remaining elders still singing, which he himself makes within the scope of his research activities.

Michalis Tterlikkas first appeared in theatre in 1987, when he took part in Giorgos Neofytou’s play “Tis Kyprou to Vasileio” (“Cyprus’s Kingdom”), directed by Nikos Siafkallis. Since then, he has collaborated with many theatre groups (Cyprus Theatre Organisation [Th.O.K.], Theatro Ena, Satyriko Theatro, A.C.T.), gaining favourable reviews. 
He also took part in the “Three Islands Project” – organised by “Kneehigh Theatre” (Cornwall) in collaboration with Th.O.K. (Cyprus) and “St. James Cavalier” (Malta) – appearing in theatre workshops and performances in Cyprus (May 2003), Malta (September – October 2003), Cyprus (May 2004) and Cornwall (July – August 2005).

Michalis has also appeared in A. Pantzis’ films “I sfagi tou kokora” (“The slaughter of the cock”) and “To tama” (“The Oblation”), in Theodoros Nikolaidis’ and Adonis Floridis’ short film “Espresso”, and in a documentary by Giannis Ioannou. In 2006 Michalis was nominated for the supporting actor prize in the 47th Thessaloniki Film Festival, for his role as poet/fisherman in Panikkos Chrysanthou’s film “Akamas”. Michalis has also appeared in several TV series in Cyprus.