Mike Tomaro (b. 1954)

Biography

Mike Tomaro is a saxophonist, composer, educator, and arranger who serves as Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He studied at Berklee and Eastman before establishing himself as both performer and educator. Tomaro has arranged for various professional ensembles while creating extensive educational materials performed by school and college bands worldwide. His work spans professional and educational contexts, maintaining high standards across both. Tomaro represents the important role of educator-arrangers in jazz’s continuation, creating bridges between professional performance and education. His arrangements introduce countless young musicians to jazz while demonstrating that educational material can maintain artistic substance. Tomaro’s career shows that quality teaching and professional arranging aren’t contradictory but complementary activities.

Musical Style

Tomaro’s arranging style features contemporary approaches accessible to student bands while maintaining high musical standards. His arrangements demonstrate understanding of how to write challenging yet playable music for developing musicians. What distinguishes Tomaro’s work is its pedagogical effectiveness combined with musical substance—his charts teach important concepts while remaining genuine musical experiences. His voicings are clear and effective, helping students understand ensemble balance and blend. Tomaro’s harmonic language balances tradition and contemporary approaches, exposing students to modern sounds while remaining grounded in jazz fundamentals. His arrangements feature strong melodies and logical structures that help students understand form and development. Tomaro’s style represents quality educational arranging: musically substantial, technically appropriate, and pedagogically sound.

Orchestration Techniques

Tomaro’s orchestration balances pedagogical clarity with musical sophistication, employing standard big band voicing techniques such as four-way close position with baritone doubling at the octave in saxophone sections, providing students with foundational ensemble skills while achieving professional-quality sonority. His brass writing utilizes drop-2 voicings in moderate ranges, avoiding extreme upper registers that challenge developing embouchures while maintaining harmonic interest and proper voice leading. Sectional approaches emphasize clear call-and-response patterns between brass and reeds, teaching students antiphonal concepts while creating engaging musical dialogue. Instrumental combinations follow traditional big band practices: lead alto doubling trumpet for brightness, second tenor providing harmonic fill, baritone anchoring the bottom—each voice with clear functional purpose that helps students understand their role within the ensemble. Contrapuntal elements include simple two-voice counterpoint between bass line and melody, or brass countermelodies against saxophone themes, introducing polyphonic thinking without overwhelming complexity. Register usage is deliberately conservative, keeping each instrument within its most comfortable range to ensure good intonation and tone production, while occasionally expanding to challenge students appropriately. Rhythmic notation emphasizes readability, with clear swing eighth-note patterns, straightforward syncopations, and minimal rhythmic complexity that allows students to focus on sound production and ensemble blend. Textural approaches favor homophonic writing with occasional tutti passages, helping students understand vertical harmony and block chord voicings before advancing to more independent part writing. His ensemble configurations adhere strictly to standard instrumentation (five saxes, four trombones, four trumpets, rhythm section), ensuring arrangements are practical for typical school programs. Dynamic architecture uses clearly marked crescendos, decrescendos, and terraced dynamics with specific dynamic markings at phrase boundaries, teaching students expressive playing while maintaining structural clarity.

Top Albums

Educational Arrangements and Publications

Tomaro’s extensive catalog of educational arrangements represents his major contribution to jazz pedagogy. His charts are performed by student bands worldwide, introducing young musicians to quality big band literature. What makes these arrangements valuable is their combination of accessibility and substance—Tomaro writes music appropriate for student skill levels while maintaining musical integrity. His arrangements teach important jazz concepts through musical engagement rather than mere exercises. This work ensures new generations discover big band jazz and learn arranging fundamentals, contributing to the tradition’s continuation.

Professional Ensemble Work

Tomaro’s arrangements for professional ensembles demonstrate his gifts beyond educational contexts. His charts for advanced musicians feature more sophisticated approaches while maintaining his clarity and structural logic. What’s particularly notable is how Tomaro’s professional work informs his educational writing—his understanding of professional standards ensures his educational materials prepare students for real-world music making. The work demonstrates that educator-arrangers can maintain high artistic standards across contexts.

Duquesne University Jazz Programs

Tomaro’s work directing jazz studies at Duquesne demonstrates his comprehensive approach to jazz education. His arrangements for university ensembles help develop advanced students while contributing to Pittsburgh’s jazz scene. What makes this work important is its role in developing future musicians, including potential arrangers. Tomaro’s influence extends beyond his own arrangements through his teaching, ensuring that arranging skills pass to new generations. The work represents jazz education’s crucial role in maintaining the tradition’s vitality.