I was born July 21, 1971.
I am a native of Tempe, Arizona.
I have lived here all my life.
I started playing the 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.
We spent the next two years performing all over America.
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.
In 1991 The Mike Cirillo Ensemble debuted at the Kerr Cultural 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 some degrees.
At ASU I was a founding member and arranger for the first Jazz String Quartet.
I was also 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.
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 a jazz violin workshop 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.
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 features comedy and original Arizona themed bluegrass and country music.
We performed at The Mining Camp Restaurant in Apache Junction, Arizona.
During the busy season we performed two shows a day, five days a week, until the venue burned down on July 25, 2017.
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!
I enjoyed coffee and the view at Musee Ariana.
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.
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!
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.
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 teach a variety of fiddling and Jazz violin styles and The Cirillo Method.
That's all for now. Thanks for your interest.