20th Anniversary Celebration

Two of Philadelphia’s most revered jazz artists, violinist Diane Monroe and vibraphonist Tony Miceli have been playing together since the mid-1980s, and the fruits of that three-decade relationship are evident in every performance. Their repertoire encompasses the wide range of the pair’s mutual interests, from jazz to classical, standards to spirituals, originals to classics, and maybe even an unexpected TV theme song.

Both Monroe and Miceli have long histories of forging rich collaborations in Philadelphia and beyond. Monroe has bridged the jazz and classical traditions for most of her career. She studied at Oberlin Conservatory, Philadelphia Musical Academy, Michigan State University, and the Curtis Institute of Music. She toured for more than a decade with the Max Roach Double Quartet and the Uptown String Quartet and performed extensively as a member of the String Trio of New York, all ensembles which fused classical virtuosity with jazz improvisation. Over the course of her career, she’s played with such renowned artists as Percy Heath, Steve Wilson, Dave Grusin, Joe Lovano, Reggie Workman, Wycliffe Gordon, and Uri Caine. Monroe appeared as guest artist with the Cincinnati Pops Symphony Orchestra in 2022. In 2018, she was awarded the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage Fellowship and Project Grants, and Philadelphia’s Jazz Legacy Award.

Miceli has been a force on the Philly jazz scene since 1980 while touring the world and mentoring young players as an educator. In 1990 he co-founded the group Monkadelphia, dedicated to playing the music of Thelonious Monk. He is also a member of the PhilOrch Jazz Ensemble, a quartet featuring members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has worked with countless jazz luminaries as both a leader and a sideman, including David Liebman, Jimmy Bruno, Ken Peplowski, John Blake, John Swana, Joe Magnarelli, Steve Slagle, Larry McKenna, and many others.