Mike Cirillo fiddler fiddle jazz violin violinist composer

Mike Cirillo About Biography Fiddler Fiddle Jazz Violin Violininst Composer

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-Click Here for a Short Bio with a List of Research Interests-

I was born July 21, 1971.  I am a native of Tempe, Arizona, and have lived here all my life.

Mike Cirillo at Asylum in Jerome, Arizona
the Asylum in Jerome AZ		 Mike Cirillo at Slide Rock Arizona
slide rock AZ

Mike Cirillo Photo of Phoenix from a plane
AZ from a plane

I started playing the violin at age four, and by twelve was gigging several nights a week.

Mike Cirillo 1976
June 1976

By fourteen I had a busy teaching schedule.

Mike Cirillo Summer Student Band
band of students

During my sophomore year of high school I joined a Dixieland band called, Igor's Cowboy Jazz Band.  We spent the next two years playing jazz festivals, cruises, and private parties all over America.

Mike Cirillo with Igor Band (violin, horns, and banjo)
violin, horns and banjo		 Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: taking a break between sets
the band on break		 Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: boarding a plane for the San Juan islands
to the San Juan Islands
Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: Sacramento Jazz Festival
Sacramento Jazz Festival		 Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: publicity photo
publicity photo		 Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: magazine cover photographed in Guadalupe. I am on banjo.
photo taken in Guadalupe
I am on banjo
Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: St. Petersburg Times. September 3, 1988
St. Petersburg Times.
September 3, 1988		 Mike Cirillo with Igor Band: Sacramento Jazz Festival
Sacramento Jazz Festival		 Mike Cirillo Performing
California

In 1990, when I was nineteen, I was ranked the official Arizona State Fiddle Champion at the Arizona State Fiddlers Contest.  I also won the Arizona State Guitar Accompanist Champion.

Mike Cirillo Tempe Tribune December 19, 1990 
Tempe Tribune December 19, 1990

In 1991, The Mike Cirillo Ensemble had its debut at the Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I was pleased to have several members of Glen Campbell's touring band play with me.

Mike Cirillo Ensemble Poster 1991 
Mike Cirillo Ensemble Poster 1991

When I was twenty, I joined the house band of the Red River Music Hall.  I played fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bass, and sang.  I performed in this Branson style show for nine years until the theater was sold.

Mike Cirillo and Arizona icon, J David Sloan 
Me and Arizona icon, J David Sloan		 Mike Cirillo in Red River Opry publicity photo 
RRO publicity photo		  Mike Cirillo in Red River Opry Christmas show cast picture
Christmas show cast picture
Mike Cirillo in Red River Opry in lobby after a show 
me in the lobby after a show		 Mike Cirillo singing bass in middle with Red River Opry 
I am singing bass in the middle		 Mike Cirillo with Red River Opry: Arizona's number 1 country music show 
AZ's #1 country music show

In 1999 I graduated from Mesa Community College with an Associate in Arts.  I continued on to Arizona State University where, in 2003, I earned a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition (Composition), and a Bachelor of Music in Performance (Jazz Violin).  In 2006 I completed a Master of Liberal Studies (Science, Society, and Creative Nonfiction Writing), also from ASU.

At ASU I was a founding member and primary musical arranger for the first Jazz String Quartet Ensemble, and the first Django/Grappelli Ensemble in the history of the university.

By this time, I had performed and/or recorded with David Grisman, Johnny Frigo, Jerry Douglas, Lee Hazelwood, and Glen Campbell.

I had also attended workshops with Mark O'Connor, Darol Anger, John Blake, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Victor Wooten, Gunther Schuller, Philip Glass, George Crumb, Fred Hersch, Arturo Sandoval,  Clare Fischer, and David Burge.

February 2004 I returned to the Kerr Cultural Center with a jazz violin show called, Strings Attached.

Mike Cirillo with Strings Attached Kerr Center 
Strings Attached

The summer of 2004 I performed with the Pat James Band in Berck Sur Mer, France.  We stayed in Paris, met many nice people, and had a great time.

Mike Cirillo view from stage in Europe 
view from stage		 Mke Cirillo photo of Berck France 
Berck		  Mike Cirillo performance in Berck France with Pat James Band
Berck performance
Mike Cirillo in front of the Berck Historical Center in France
Berck Historical Center		  Mike Cirillo in Paris studio
Paris rehearsal studio		 Mike Cirillo with Pat James band taking a bow 
taking a bow

The summer of 2005 I returned to Europe to perform at more music festivals in France, Italy, and Luxemburg.  

Mike Cirillo performing in Bourge, France
Bourges, France		 Mike Cirillo shaking hands with a French country fan
shaking hands
with a French country fan		 Mike Cirillo in Vatican City
Vatican City
Mike Cirillo photo of the Alps on Europe tour
the Alps		 Mike Cirillo Gladiator in Rome
Coliseum in Rome		 Mike Cirillo in front of Eiffel Tower in France
Eiffel Tower
Mike Cirillo photo of Rodin's The Thinker in France
Rodin's "The Thinker"		 Mike Cirillo photo of Monet's Garden in Giverny France
Monet's Garden at Giverny		 Mike Cirillo photo of Paris view from Eiffel Tower
view from Eiffel Tower
Mike Cirillo photo of Venice Italy
Venice		 Mike Cirillo Arizona Cafe in Paris France
The Arizona Cafe in Paris		 Mike Cirillo performing in Paris France
Performing

In the November 17, 2005 issue of The Arizona Republic, I was pleased to be named, The Rep's Best.

Mike Cirillo with Pat James Band voted The Rep's Best 
cool award

On March 9, 2010 I was invited to present on the topic of Alternative Violin Performance and Pedagogy at Arizona State University.  It was a lot of fun, and I am pleased with all the positive feedback.

The summer of 2011 I was invited to teach at the Rolland Fiddle Camp in beautiful Colorado.  It was a great experience and the students were fantastic.  I look forward to doing it again next year!

That's all for now.  Thanks for your interest.