Born in 1957 in Skellefteå in the very north of Sweden. Holmlander received his diploma in classical tuba in 1983 at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm with Michael Lind as a teacher. Holmlander has always worked simultaneously with improvisation, jazz and rock music as well as classical and contemporary music.
As an improviser, Holmlander has worked with Eje Thelin, Raymond Strid, Axel Dörner, Paul Lovens, Sven-Åke Johansson, Marilyn Crispell, Johannes Bauer, Phil Minton, Sten Sandell, Paul Lytton, Herb Robertson, Gunter Christmann, Position Alpha, DJustable, Mats Gustafsson & NU-Ensemblen, Swedish Radio Jazz Group & London Jazz Composers' Orchestra among others.
Holmlander works a lot with theatre music, sometimes he plays solo and he regularly works with Barry Guy New Orchestra, Ken Vandermark-Territory Band, Fredrik Ljungkvist -- Yun Kan 5, Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet, The Frontroom Ensemble and recently with Torden Kvartetten & Jon Vanderlander Trio.
Per-Åke has participated in more than 50 records and 1800 theatrical performances. He has given concerts in 29 countries and released two solo-CD:s in Sweden.
Per-Åke Holmlander has recently directed the play Variété by Mauricio Kagel at the opera of Malmö.