Born in Venice, Italy, Michele Caniato grew up in an Anglo-Venetian household where classical music, gospel, opera, jazz, and plays were prominent. After studies in the arts and humanities at the lyceum Marco Polo and private studies in theory and solfege he worked as a saxophonist in various jazz and commercial groups, before moving to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. He received the Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance and jazz composition from Berklee College and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from Boston UniversityHis compositions and arrangements have been performed by Andy McGee, Jeff Stout, Igor Butman, Diego Urcola, Shannon LeClaire, the Kendrick Oliver Big Band, Berklee Faculty Big Band, New England Conservatory Jazz Composers Big Band, the 14th Coltrane Memorial Concert at Northeastern University and the BMI New York Jazz Composers Orchestra. Caniato has received numerous grants and awards such as the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Grant in Music Composition (2007), the Amelia Gallucci-Cirio Endowment Grant, Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation Grant, Massachusetts Cultural Council Professional Development Grant and various Faculty Scholarship/Creative Awards and Leadership Awards at Fitchburg State University. Caniato published various articles on jazz theory and repertoire in the Annual Review of Jazz Studies and the International Association of Jazz Educators Research journal and presented papers at national and international conferences. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts. His time is shared between composing, conducting, theory, and education.