From early childhood, Milnes played a variety of instruments, including piano, clarinet, saxophone, cello, flute, violin, and organ.
Milnes also studied with esteemed conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Erich Leinsdorf, and Herbert Blomstedt.
As principal guest conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Milnes conducted a wide breadth of repertoire, including the works of Hector Berlioz and Steve Reich.
[7] In 1996, Milnes joined the faculty at UC Berkeley with an intent to increase performance of the twentieth century repertoire, including the works of Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev.
The Symphony under Milnes' direction also heavily emphasizes the performance of new music, frequently composed by Berkeley graduate students in composition.