I was born July 21, 1971. I started playing violin at age four and by twelve was gigging several nights a week.
During my sophomore year of high school, I joined Igor's Cowboy Jazz Band. I spent the next two years performing all over America.
September 3, 1988
In 1990, when I was nineteen, I won the Official Arizona State Fiddle Championship. I also won the Young Adult Division Championship and the State Guitar Accompanist Championship.
Overall 1990
Young Adult Division 1990
In 1991 The Mike Cirillo Ensemble debuted at the Kerr Center in Scottsdale Arizona. I had several members of Glen Campbell's touring Band Perform with me.
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.
I went to college and earned several degrees. At ASU, I was a founding member and arranger for the first Django/Grappelli Ensemble. By this time, I had also performed and/or recorded with David Grisman, Johnny Frigo, Jerry Douglas, and Glen Campbell.
Arizona State University
Theory and Composition (2003)
Arizona State University
Jazz Violin Performance (2003)
Arizona State University
Mesa Community College
February 2004 I returned to the Kerr Cultural Center with a jazz violin show called Strings Attached.
The summers of 2004 and 2005 I toured with the Pat James Band in France, Italy, and Luxembourg. We hubbed out of Paris, met many nice people, and had a great time.
In the November 17, 2005 issue of The Arizona Republic I was awarded the Rep's Best.
In March 2010, April 2012, and April 2015, I taught jazz violin workshops at ASU. It was a lot of fun and I am pleased with all the positive feedback.
The summer of 2011 through 2013 I taught at the Rolland Fiddle Camp in beautiful Colorado. It was a great experience and the students were fantastic.
being the instructor
I decided to remain dignified
On February 15, 2014 The Mike Cirillo Ensemble played a short concert for KTAR radio. Performing with me are JP Escobedo on guitar and Byron Lipkins on bass.
I performed the role of 'Hank the Fiddle Player' in Mesa Encore Theater's production of Big River. The show opened on April 4, 2014 and ran for two weeks. We received glowing reviews and sold out all performances including added shows.
November 4, 2014 I joined 'The Amazing McNasty Brothers' for the 2014/2015 'Hello Arizona!' show. The show featured comedy and original Arizona themed bluegrass and country music. We performed at The Mining Camp Restaurant in Apache Junction, Arizona. During the season we performed two shows a day, five days a week, until the venue burned down on July 25, 2017.
On March 17, 2015 'Mike Cirillo's Hot Club of Arizona' performed in Garden City Kansas. It was part of the 'Strings and Friends' concert series. The concert was followed the next day by a master class.
On April 25 and 26, 2015 I played fiddle with The Phoenix Symphony. I performed in their 'Legends of Nashville' Pops concert. I am happy with my performance. I had several solos and a feature. The audience was great and both shows received standing ovations.
The summer of 2015 I went into Tempest studio.
I recorded the first two movements of my original piano trio.
Daga Suchon is on violin.
Karen Ball Koger is on cello.
Miriam Ball Hickman is on piano.
On July 7 and 8 we played a festival in Lancy, Switzerland. We stayed in Geneva. I visited The Large Hadron Collider, the United Nations Headquarters, and The Museum of Science. I enjoyed my stay in Switzerland immensely!
The Summer of 2017 I toured with a George Strait Tribute Band called The Troubadour Experience. I went to New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan, Texas, Nevada, and Newfoundland, Canada.
I had fun playing fiddle on Monte Perrault's Flamenco album!
I started performing at the Rockin' R Ranch during the summer of 2015. I gigged 1 to 3 nights a week for 3 years until December 1st 2018 when the park was demonlished to make room for apartments.
The summer of 2018 I enjoyed a fun interview with Chelsea Marie from the Rockin' R Ranch. We talked about music, travel, and computer animation. I even fiddle a couple tunes!
On July 16, 2018 I performed with The Big Iron Band, a Marty Robbins Tribute show, in Old Tucson.
Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 I was invited to teach at Grand Canyon University. I taught a variety of fiddling and Jazz violin styles and The Cirillo Method.
On June 28, 2019 I earned a certificate from ASU in Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming.
I started performing with 'Cowboy Up!' in 2021. We play tons of gigs year round. Christmas season is always very busy.
I played some jazz violin with Swingin' Leo at The Nash in Phoenix AZ on July 28, 2023. The show featured Billy Parker on mandolin, Theodore Sistrunk on bass, Howard Alden on guitar, and Joe Garcia on drums.
December 2, 2023 I played with Swingin' Leo at the Tempe Festival of the Arts.
I played September 26, 2024, January 9, 2025 and March 2025 with Dave Jordan at Westside Jazz and Blues in Glendale Arizona.
In January 2025 I did a bit of fiddling at the Tempe Center for the Arts.
Every few months from September 2023 to March 2026 I've been helping the Mesa Community College recording studio engineering class by doing 'overdub city' on a bunch of fiddle tunes. I overdub multiple fiddles, guitars, mandolin, and ukulele bass to help the students learn recording techniques.
