Mike Tomaro - All-State High School Jazz Ensemble

Mike Tomaro has been the Director of the Jazz Studies Program at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA since 1997. This saxophonist, 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. While a member of this group, he served as its Enlisted Musical Director and performed for Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton as well as heads of state from around the world. He also composed and/or arranged much of the Army Blues repertoire and was featured as a soloist on several of the group's albums and CDs. Mike is a Yamaha Performing Artist and endorses Vandoren reeds, mouthpieces and ligatures exclusively.

As a performer, Mike has worked with such diverse artists and groups as Rosemary Clooney, Ray Charles, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, Debby Boone, Johnny Mathis, Wayne Bergeron, Terence Blanchard, Louis Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie Tribute Big Band, Woody Herman Orchestra and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, where he is featured on their DVD, "Live at MCG." In his hometown, he has performed with guitarist Joe Negri, Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy Band, Pittsburgh Symphony, River City Brass Band, Pittsburgh Ballet and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble in addition to leading his own small groups.

Mike is the co-artistic director (with trumpeter Sean Jones) and lead alto player of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, the city's premier big band, where he composes and arranges most of the material that group performs. In 2015, the band released its first CD, "Joyful Jazz," on the MCG Jazz label; the album contains 11 arrangements by Tomaro. It has garnered rave reviews including a four-star rating in Downbeat magazine and was selected as one of the top seven holiday albums of 2015 by the Wall Street Journal. Through the PJO, Mike is also Artistic Director of the National Jazz Workshop at Duquesne University, a week-long summer workshop for aspiring jazz musicians.

Terry Fisher - Junior All-State Jazz Ensemble

Terry Fisher taught band in Indiana for 31 years.  Most of this time was spent with the Woodlan and DeKalb band programs. During his time with the Woodlan program, his 7-12 band membership increased from 75 to more than 250 in five years. They were known throughout the state for excellence in marching band, solo and ensemble participation and concert band. He retired in 2017 after 18 years as Director of Bands at DeKalb High School in Waterloo, IN. 

Under his direction, DeKalb bands received numerous local and state honors in the areas of concert band, jazz band, and marching band. The DeKalb jazz band was selected to perform at the Indiana Music Education Association’s state convention in January of 2014.  In addition, the top Jazz Band was an ISSMA State Jazz Finalist in 2016 and 2017.  The DeKalb music department earned the coveted ISSMA All Music Award for more than 10 years. The concert and jazz bands consistently earned “with distinction” at ISSMA concert and jazz festivals.  He has been the Director of Jazz Ensemble at Purdue University at Fort Wayne since 2018 and also is an Educational Representative for Sweetwater Band & Orchestra. He is frequently still in the classroom with many northeast Indiana bands as a clinician and is a regular adjudicator for events including:  marching band, solo and ensemble, jazz festivals, and concert band.

Mr. Fisher maintains an active performance schedule with the New Millennium Jazz Orchestra, Old Crown Brass Band, and several other groups that perform throughout the state. He is a member of Indiana Bandmasters, Phi Beta Mu and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.  He earned degrees from Ball State University (BME), and Bowling Green State University (MM). He currently resides in Auburn, IN with his wife, Linda and their many pets.