Spiro dances to his Cuban Conga

George Bernard Shaw might have set the ball rolling for the phrase “those who can’t do, teach.”

Contrary to Shaw’s sentiments, performer, composer and educator Michael Spiro said he is proud to be part of a faculty he said were first musicians before teachers.

After spending years as a visiting professor at the Jacobs School of Music, Spiro has joined the faculty full-time.

The seven-time Grammy-nominated jazz percussionist is now an associate professor of percussion. He assists both the percussion and jazz departments to develop the curricula for Cuban and Brazilian music.

“It is a great privilege to be part of the esteemed faculty at this renowned music institution,” Spiro said. “IU has a very good music school.”  

Spiro’s passion for the Cuban Conga helped him graduate with honors in Latin American studies from the University of California.

“After I started playing the conga, I felt like I needed to know about the origin of the instrument,” Spiro said. “That’s how I started exploring Latin culture and fell in love with Cuban music.”

John Tafoya, chairman of the percussion department, said he is elated to have Spiro join the Jacobs faculty.  

“Michael is a driving force in the realm of ethnic and world percussion, both as a world-class performing artist and devoted educator,” Tafoya said in an email.
“He has performed with an incredible lineup of
diverse artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, David Garibaldi, Bobby McFerrin, Charlie Watts and many others. His wealth of historical and practical knowledge will be invaluable to our percussion students at IU.”  

Still an active member of the California Latin music scene, Spiro promotes Afro-Cuban music by co-producing the Orquesta La Moderna Tradicion, the only surviving group in the United States of Charanga, the traditional Cuban dance music.

His vast understanding of Latin music and performance has produced three books, two educational websites and a collection of CDs.

Despite his impressive resume, Spiro is humble.

“The kids admitted into the Jacobs School are such disciplined, self-contained units that I don’t need to motivate them any more than they already are,” he said.

“All I need to do is inspire them and give them the information. They are so sure of what they want, and they know it coming in. I’m 60, and I still don’t know what I want.”
The students in Spiro’s class said they are just as thrilled to have him become full-time.

“Professor Spiro is knowledgeable about so many musical styles, and it’s great that he can mold it to suit our own styles,” said junior Erin Jeter, a percussion performance major in Spiro’s class.