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Mike Tomaro has been the Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA since 1997. This saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger and educator earned his B.S. degree in Music Education from Duquesne University and his M.A. degree in Saxophone Performance from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Prior to his appointment at Duquesne, he lived in the Washington, D.C. area for seventeen years as a member of the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, a unit of the prestigious "Pershing's Own" U.S. Army Band.

Mike has four nationally released recordings under his own name that showcase his talents as both performer and writer - "Forgotten Dreams" (Seabreeze Jazz), "Dancing Eyes" (Seabreeze Jazz), and "Home Again" (Positive Music). His latest CD, "Nightowl Suite" was released in March 2005 on the Seabreeze Jazz label. As a composer and arranger, Mike's music has been performed by the likes of jazz greats Nancy Wilson, Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Ernie Watts, Bobby Shew, Claudio Roditi, New York Voices, Al Vizzutti, and many more, as well as high schools, colleges and universities around the world. Over eighty of his compositions and arrangements are published by Doug Beach Music, Hal Leonard Publications, and Walrus Music.

As a performer, Mike has worked with such diverse artists and groups as Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, Ray Charles, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Mathis, Terence Blanchard, Louis Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie Tribute Big Band, New York Voices, Woody Herman Orchestra and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. In his hometown, he has performed with guitarist Joe Negri, the Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Ballet and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble in addition to leading his own small groups.