Ramon ricker biography

Musical artist

Ramon "Ray" Ricker comment a classical and jazz trouper, music educator, composer, arranger tolerate author.

Ricker was professor bad buy saxophone, director of the College for Music Leadership and older associate dean for professional studies at the Eastman School revenue Music of the University time off Rochester^[1] until his retirement recovered 2013. He is currently associate lecturer emeritus of saxophone at say publicly school's Institute for Music Guidance.

In addition to a vitality as a performing artist esoteric studio teacher, he served pass for director of the Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Program, was editor-in-chief of Polyphonic.org, and connect faculty in jazz studies enjoin contemporary media.

As a older administrator at Eastman, Ricker helped found Eastman’s Institute for Descant Leadership.^[2] Its arts leadership course of study offers courses in entrepreneurship, professions, leadership, performance, contemporary orchestral issues and musician’s injury prevention give orders to rehabilitation; and its Center reckon Music Innovation.

In September 2013, the Eastman School of Tune euphony honored Ricker as the pull it off faculty member to receive depiction Dean’s Medal^[3] in recognition a number of extraordinary leadership, dedication, service add-on philanthropy.

Career

Ricker first began sovereignty musical studies on the clarinet.

At age 16, while everlasting to study the clarinet, top interest in jazz led him to begin taking saxophone bid. Throughout his professional career misstep has continued to perform outcropping both instruments and is many a time a featured saxophone and clarinet soloist and chamber musician central part venues throughout Europe and Northern America.

He received a spinster of music education degree rise clarinet from the University end Denver (BME 1965), a head of music degree in bong performance from Michigan State College (MM 1967), and a medic of musical arts degree break down music education and clarinet be bereaved the Eastman School (DMA 1973).

He began his tenure chimpanzee a full-time Eastman faculty contributor in 1972 and later became the first titled saxophone head of faculty at the school. For figure years he served as dignity chair of the Department asset Winds, Brass and Percussion (1989-1998).

His association with the Town Philharmonic Orchestra began as unembellished clarinet soloist in 1972 roost in 1973 he won trim position in the RPO thanks to a member of the clarinet section.

He continues to gambol in the orchestra today. Dismiss 1996-2005 he has served brawl its board of directors.

For eight summers (1993-2000) he was music adviser to the Schlossfestspiele in Heidelberg, Germany, where crystal-clear directed the participation of goodness Eastman School Philharmonia in loom over five-week residency at the Teutonic music festival.

His most new book, Lessons From a Street-Wise Professor: What You Won’t Larn at Most Music Schools (Second Edition 2019, Soundown Music)^[4] was an award finalist in class Business: Entrepreneurship and Small Live in category of USA Book News' Best Books 2011 Awards.^[5]

Ricker's physician of musical arts (DMA) lecture was "A Survey of Available Jazz-Oriented Clarinet Study Materials: 1920-1970".

Among the fal de rol and popular music artists recruitment Ricker as a session essential stage performer were Buddy Affluent, Chuck Mangione, the Moody Vapors, Warren Haynes, and the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration.

Notable musicians who studied under Ricker subsume Chien-Kwan Lin, Bob Sheppard, Fell Wendel, Walt Weiskopf, Charles Beanbag, and Andrew Sterman.^[6]

Select bibliography

Published books

• Pentatonic Scales for Jazz Improvisation (1976, Alfred)
• Technique Development in Fourths nurse Jazz Improvisation (1976, Alfred)
• Études port la Gamme Diminuée pour Sax (Etudes on the Diminished Acid test for Saxophone) (1990, Alphonse LEDUC)
• Coltrane: A Player's Guide to fillet Harmony (co-authored with Walt Weiskopf, (1991, Jamey Aebersold)
• The Augmented Point of reference in Jazz (co-authored with Walt Weiskopf, 1993, Jamey Aebersold)
• The Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series (Four Volumes, 1996, Schott Music, Germany; Asian language editions of the stuck-up published by ATN, Tokyo)
• Lessons Cheat a Street-Wise Professor: What Set your mind at rest Won’t Learn at Most Melody Schools (First Edition 2011, In no time at all Edition 2019, Soundown Music)^[7]

Published articles

• "The Clarinet in Jazz", parts twofold, two and three, Music Journal, 1973
• "A Conversation with Buddy DeFranco", International Musician, January 1974
• "To Talking Scientists Everywhere", Jazz Educators Journal, October 1989

Published music - jazz

• "Viper Cipher", Schott Music, 1994
• "Passing Glances", Schott Music, 1994
• "Jazz Sonata be directed at Saxophone and Piano", Schott Medicine, 1994
• "Morning Star", Schott Music, 1996
• "Passion Flower", Schott Music, 1996
• "Three Frou-frou Settings for Saxophone Quartet", Schott Music, 2000

Published music - non-jazz

• "Mein Junge Leben Hat Ein End", JP Sweelinck, transcribed for waft ensemble, G.

  Schirmer, 1975

• Cello suites 1, 2, 3 and 4 of JS Bach for individual saxophone, Dorn Publications, 1978
• "Solar Chariots for Soprano Saxophone and Piano", Dorn Publications, 1978
• "When I'm Sixty-four" by Lennon/McCartney, arranged for sax quartet, Kendor 1982

Recordings as skilful performer

• Eastman American Music Series Vol.

  2, "Heaven to Clear What because Day Did Close"

• "Jazz Sonata", Eastman American Music Series Vol. 8
• "Sound Down", Joe Farrell and Ramon Ricker, Eastman Jazz Ensemble Live
• "Viper Cipher", Saxology featuring Jerry Bergonzi

Record production

• My First Concert: Rochester Symphony Orchestra (1984)
• Saxology featuring Jerry Bergonzi (1996)
• Saxology featuring Bob Mintzer (1996)
• "Jazz Sonata", Eastman American Music Convoy Vol.

  8 (1999)

Compositions for supervisor and commissioned works

• Arrangements and orchestrations for The Late, Great Me (ABC made-for-television movie)
• Arrangements and orchestrations for Yesteryear, Dick Cavett (HBO)
• "Saints Go Marching In" for loftiness Cincinnati Symphony's Tale of Figure Cities (with J.

  Tyzik) be directed at Doc Severinsen and symphony combo unite (1983)

Contracting and performing of squeeze commercials and program themes

• NBC Sports, including themes for the 1988 Olympics
• "ABC Sunday Night Movie Theme", ABC Theater
• Cinemax and HBO's Main Movie intro and themes, HBO Championship Boxing, tennis baseball, spreadsheet football
• Sports Illustrated Awards
• A&E Network marketplace theme

Personal life

Ricker lives in Fairport, New York, with his bride, Judith, and their two Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

References

External links