Music School Marks International Jazz Day with Original Works

The Duquesne community is invited to tune into the Mary Pappert School of Music’s YouTube channel Friday, April 30, to celebrate International Jazz Day with three original compositions performed by the Duquesne University Jazz Ensemble.

The compositions were written and arranged by Mike Tomaro, professor of jazz saxophone and director of jazz studies, and graduate student Roy Mitchell. Tomaro will direct Friday’s performance.

The Jazz Ensemble, a longtime principal performing group of the University, offers students the chance to perform alongside faculty who are some of the finest jazz musicians in the country. Students have performed with guest artists such as David Liebman, Slide Hampton and Dick Oatts and created music for movies, television and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A Duquesne alumnus, Tomaro has more than 200 published compositions and arrangements. He has worked with a variety of musicians, including Ray Charles and hometown jazz guitarist Joe Negri. Tomaro also has also performed for U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton as well as for heads of state from around the world as a member of the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble.

Mitchell, also a music school alumnus, is currently earning his master’s degree in music performance and jazz emphasis at Duquesne. He is an accomplished jazz musician with more than 35 years of experience and has more than 2,000 compositions and arrangements that have been performed around the world.