A teacher, composer, and bass player with nearly 40 years of professional experience, Michael Staron has performed with some of the most celebrated figures in jazz, theater, and other musical genres. Having spent most of his life in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Staron enjoys proximity to a rich musical tradition and has played with a wide range of area jazz performers, including the Mike Staron Duo, Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns, Bobby Enriquez, Hal Russell, and others. In 2008, Michael Staron released Rock Originals, a collection of 1990’s progressive rock songs garnering strong reviews on custom radio website Jango.com. In addition to Rock Originals, Michael Staron co-produced the critically acclaimed free jazz release Albert’s Lullaby Southport-S-SSD 0077.

Formally a frequent presence on the musical theater circuit, Michael Staron has performed in Chicago-based and national touring productions such as Dream Girls, The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Annie, West Side Story, Evita, A Chorus Line, and Rent. Regularly sought by local contractors for his musical proficiency, Michael Staron has played in the orchestral sections for such top acts as Sid Caesar, Al Martino, The Four Lads, Bill Acosta, Jerry Vale, The Pied Pipers, Red Skelton, Roger Williams, and more.

When not performing, Michael Staron splits his duties as an instructor and lecturer at DePaul University, and Triton College in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Michael Staron teaches a vast array of subjects from music appreciation to various theory courses and additionally serves as a private tutor to clients throughout the region. In the past, Michael Staron has taught at the National Guitar Workshop, Richard J. Daley College, the National High School Music Institute (NHSMI), and as a grad assistant at Northwestern University. A recipient of an NHSMI Fellowship and an Eckstein Grant, Michael Staron earned his Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Michael Staron gained his Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from DePaul University in Chicago; his primary composition teacher was Dr. Ray Wilding-White.