Jazz arranging · Contemporary & Hybrid Jazz
MikeTomaro
b. 1954 arranger · composer · orchestrator
Tomaro's arranging style features contemporary approaches accessible to student bands while maintaining high musical standards.
- Predominant era
- Contemporary & Hybrid Jazz
- Lifespan
- b. 1954
- Signature
- expansive register
Bio · 35 words
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.
01
Musical style
Sound DNA
Five shared dimensions make the arranger’s musical priorities visible at a glance.
Iridescent
Instrumental color leads the design.
Compact
Ideas arrive in tightly packed frames.
Expansive
Wide spans define the orchestral frame.
Ornate
Dense detail rewards close listening.
Elastic
The rhythmic feel expands and contracts.
02
Orchestration
Technique deck
Select a card to spotlight a device drawn from this arranger’s orchestral language.
03
Music first
Scores & orchestras
Switch recordings to compare how this arranger’s musical priorities shape each orchestral profile.
Educational Arrangements and Publications
Educational Arrangements and Publications
Tomaro's extensive catalog of educational arrangements represents his major contribution to jazz pedagogy.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
Professional Ensemble Work
Professional Ensemble Work
Tomaro's arrangements for professional ensembles demonstrate his gifts beyond educational contexts.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
Duquesne University Jazz Programs
Duquesne University Jazz Programs
Tomaro's work directing jazz studies at Duquesne demonstrates his comprehensive approach to jazz education.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
04
Start here
Three essential albums
One line each—enough context to choose the next listen.
- 01 — Educational Arrangements and PublicationsMike Tomaro Tomaro's extensive catalog of educational arrangements represents his major contribution to jazz pedagogy.
- 02 — Professional Ensemble WorkMike Tomaro Tomaro's arrangements for professional ensembles demonstrate his gifts beyond educational contexts.
- 03 — Duquesne University Jazz ProgramsMike Tomaro Tomaro's work directing jazz studies at Duquesne demonstrates his comprehensive approach to jazz education.