Karl Tricomi was born in Philadelphia and raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He attended Bishop Eustace Preparatory School during which time  he served as Organist of Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church, and accompanist to singers in the Delaware Valley area. He was later appointed Organist of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Camden, where he also served as Assistant Choir Director  and composed several Masses for the Choir.

Upon graduation from Bishop Eustace, Karl entered the Eastman School of Music as a scholarship student in piano, organ, and composition. While at Eastman, on the basis of his prodigious sight-reading ability and skill at improvisation, he served as staff accompanist for its voice and instrumental faculty, and performed in concert with many solo instrumentalists and chamber ensembles in the Rochester, NY area. These performers include Dr. Frank Kowalsky, Clarinettist, Stephen Paulsen, Bassoonist, Grayson Hirst, Tenor.

While attending Eastman, Karl Tricomi saw a number of his works premiered: The Piano Variations, Sonatina for Clarinet and Bassoon, Poems for Viola and Piano, Nocturne for Piano, Trio for Clarinet,'Cello, and Piano, and numerous songs. His teachers at Eastman included Burrill Phillips and Samuel Adler for composition, Earl Wild, Eugene List, and Jose Echaniz for piano, and David Craighead in organ.

Karl Tricomi entered the Juilliard School as a graduate student in piano and studied with pianist Katherine Bacon and composer Hugh Aitken. While attending Juilliard Karl became staff accompanist and coach for famed clarinet professor Leon Russianoff, a post he held for several years. During this time he also played recitals at colleges and universities in the New York area.

For several years he was on the music faculty of the Riverdale Country Day School on Riverdale, NY. His Clarinet Sonata was premiered there by clarinettist Ann Owen and he also taught jazz pianist Lee Curreri who was later to achieve fame as Bruno in the movie and TV series, "Fame"