"Chicago jazz musician Miguel de la Cerna likes to refer to himself as 'your basic piano player, commercial musician,' but that modest self-assessment greatly understates the case"

Miguel de la Cerna is a powerhouse pianist, arranger, and composer who bridges the soul of jazz with the pulse of innovation. 

A Chicago native and third-generation jazz artist, de la Cerna descends from musical royalty—his grandfather, General Morgan, recorded with Billie Holiday, and his aunt, Gloria Morgan, was a noted vocalist and recording artist. 

Following studies at the American Conservatory of Music and Oberlin Conservatory, de la Cerna toured internationally for over a decade as pianist and conductor. His genre-defying artistry spans continents, collaborating with creative icons like Kahil El’Zabar and Nicole Mitchell and orchestrating major productions such as Corey Wilkes’ Donny Hathaway and House Music tributes at Millennium Park. 

In theater and opera, he has brought fire and finesse to Regina Taylor’s Crowns and Exhibit, and served as featured pianist in South Shore Opera Company’s world premieres of Harriet Tubman and Fannie Lou Hamer. 

A two-time Orion Ensemble commission recipient and the 2022 Hyde Park Jazz Festival commissioned composer, his Three Children Songs for Left Hand is featured in the award- winning documentary For the Left Hand. 

As Music Director for the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s JazzCity concert series, de la Cerna continues to shape the city’s sound—anchored in tradition, driven by innovation.