Mike Cidoni

A native Rochesterian, Mike Cidoni returned home in 2023 to serve as RPO’s PR/Communications Manager after 23 years in Los Angeles, where he worked as senior entertainment reporter for the Associated Press. There, he provided global, multi-media red-carpet coverage of virtually every major Hollywood event, from the Grammy Awards to the Oscars. During his 40-year career, he has interviewed thousands of stage, screen and musical artists including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Joshua Bell, film composer John Williams, soprano Renée Fleming, and conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Cidoni also spearheaded the transformation of the AP’s fledgling LA video bureau into one of the most prolific, profitable, and highly regarded sources of entertainment news in the world.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Mike’s experience joining our Marketing and Communications team,” says RPO Vice President of Marketing and Communications Herb Griffith. “The fact that he knows and loves this community already is a huge benefit as well.”

“It’s such an honor to contribute to an organization that has given me so much, both as a music lover and an entertainment professional,” adds Cidoni, who believes that attending RPO concerts as a child fueled his lifelong passion for the performing arts.

Many Rochesterians may remember Cidoni from his days as an entertainment reporter on 13 WHAM-TV (formerly WOKR), with Scott Spezzano on various stations including 98 WPXY-FM, as well as writing for the Times-Union and Democrat & Chronicle in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Mike’s work for the Associated Press paved the way for his transition into publicity, communications, and artist relations for Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) in 2018. It was then that he worked closely with Richard Carpenter on A&M Records’ global hit, Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and served as lead author (with Chris May and Richard Carpenter) of the best-selling 2021 biography, Carpenters: The Musical Legacy.

He is preparing to serve as memoirist for “an undeniably brilliant and widely beloved artist and teacher – and one of my favorite humans.”

Mike adores ABBA, collecting vintage audio and media, and traveling with husband Brian — but without an itinerary.