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Ramon Ricker[edit]

Ramon Ricker
Ramon Ricker
Birth name	Ramon Ricker
Also known as	Ray Ricker
Born	September 16, 1943 (age 80)
Genres	Jazz, Classical
Occupation(s)	Educator, Performer, Author, Composer/Arranger, Producer
Instrument(s)	Saxophone, Clarinet

Ramon "Ray" Ricker is an internationally recognized classical and jazz performer, music educator, composer/arranger, and innovator in music entrepreneurship. He is Senior Associate Dean for Professional Studies, Director of the Institute for Music Leadership, and Professor of Saxophone at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. In addition to a career as performing artist and studio teacher, he also directs the Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Program, is Editor-in-Chief of Polyphonic.org, an Eastman-sponsored website, and an Affiliate Faculty: Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media. As a senior administrator at Eastman, Dr. Ricker has been instrumental in shaping Eastman’s innovative Institute for Music Leadership, with its Arts Leadership curriculum that offers courses in entrepreneurship, careers, leadership, performance, contemporary orchestral issues and musician’s injury prevention and rehabilitation; and its Center for Music Innovation that helps student’s inventions and ideas become realities.

Career[edit]

Ricker first began his musical studies on the clarinet. At age 16, while continuing to study the clarinet, his interest in jazz led him to begin saxophone lessons. Throughout his professional career he has continued to perform on both instruments. Today he often is a featured saxophone and clarinet soloist and chamber musician in venues throughout Europe and North America. He is a Conn-Selmer Artist. His books on jazz improvisation and saxophone technique as well as many of his compositions are viewed as standards in the field with over 140,000 copies sold worldwide and translations in French and Japanese. He received a bachelor of music education degree in clarinet from the University of Denver, a master of music degree in woodwind performance from Michigan State University, and a doctor of musical arts degree in music education and clarinet from the Eastman School. He has been a full-time Eastman faculty member since 1972 and was the first titled saxophone professor at the School. For nine years he served as the chair of the Department of Winds, Brass and Percussion (1989-1998). His association with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) first began as a clarinet soloist in 1972 and in 1973 he won a position in the RPO as a member of the clarinet section. He continues to play in the orchestra today. From 1996-2005 he also has served on its board of directors. For eight summers (1993-2000) he was music adviser to the Schlossfestspiele in Heidelberg, Germany, where he directed the participation of the Eastman School Philharmonia in its five-week residency at the German music festival. His most recent book, Lessons From a Street-Wise Professor: What You Won’t Learn at Most Music Schools (2011, Soundown Music) was an Award Finalist in the Business: Entrepreneurship and Small Business category of USA Book News' Best Books 2011 Awards.

Ricker's Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) dissertation was "A Survey of Published Jazz-Oriented Clarinet Study Materials: 1920-1970."

Published Books

Pentatonic Scales for Jazz Improvisation (1976, Alfred)
French edition, Les Gammes Pentatoniques Pour L’Improvisation de Jazz (1976, Studio PR)
Technique Development in Fourths for Jazz Improvisation (1976, Alfred)
French edition, Developpement de la Technique des Quartes dans L’Improvisation de Jazz (1976. Studio PR)
The Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series (1979, Studio PR) (Out of print)
- Vol. 1: The Beginning Improviser
- Vol. 2: The Developing Improviser
- Vol. 3: All Blues
- Vol. 4: II-V-I's
- Vol. 5: Standard Tunes of Jerome Kern
- Vol. 6: Great Jazz Tunes of Gerry Mulligan
- Vol. 7: Great Jazz Standards
- Vol. 8: Great Jazz Standards
- Vol. 9: Great Jazz Standards
Études sur la Gamme Diminuée pour Saxophone (Etudes on the Diminished Scale for Saxophone) (1990, Alphonse LEDUC)
Études sur les Accords Complexes pour Saxophone (Advanced Chord Etudes for Saxophone) (1992, Alphonse LEDUC)
Études Jazz sur la Gamme Pentatonique pour Saxophone (Jazz Etudes on the Pentatonic Scale for Saxophone) (1992, Alphonse LEDUC)
Douze Études Jazz Virtuoses pour Saxophone (Twelve Challenging Jazz Etudes for Saxophone) (1992, Alphonse LEDUC)
Coltrane: A Player's Guide to his Harmony (co-authored with Walt Weiskopf, (1991, Jamey Aebersold) [also published in separate

French and Japanese language editions by Aebersold]

The Augmented Scale in Jazz (co-authored with Walt Weiskopf, 1993, Jamey Aebersold)
The Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series (1996, ADVANCE Music)
- Vol. 1: The Beginning Improviser
- Vol. 2: Blues
- Vol. 3: The II-V-I Progression, Standard Tunes and Rhythm Changes
- Vol. 4: The Developing Improviser: the Melodic Minor Scale

(Japanese language editions of the above published by ATN, Tokyo)

How to Play Lead Alto Saxophone in a Big Band (2006, ADVANCE Music)
Lessons From a Street-Wise Professor: What You Won’t Learn at Most Music Schools (2011, Soundown Music)

Published Articles

New Music: Electronic in General; Clarinet and Tape in Particular, Woodwind World, September 1971
Developing Critical Listening in Private Clarinet Teaching, The Instrumentalist, March 1973
Woodwind Doubling: A Brief Look at Its History, Woodwind World, September 1973
The Clarinet in Jazz, Part 1, Music Journal, October 1973
The Clarinet in Jazz, Part 2, Music Journal, November 1973
The Clarinet in Jazz, Part 3, Music Journal, December 1973
A Conversation with Buddy DeFranco, International Musician, January 1974
Pedagogical Use of Jazz-Oriented Study Materials, The School Music News, October 1975
Doubling in the Studios: An Interview with George Marge, The Instrumentalist, March 1976
Jazz Profile: Pepper Adams, The Saxophone Symposium, August 1978
Composer's Profile: Warren Benson, The Saxophone Symposium, January 1979
Review of the Base-Nestico Lead Sax Book, The Saxophone Symposium, March 1980
To Jazz Scientists Everywhere, Jazz Educators Journal, October 1989
Developing Your Listening Skills, Windplayer Magazine, December 1990

Published Music - Jazz-Oriented

Skuffle, Mission Music 1974
Genesis, Mission Music, 1975
Tap-Toe, Mission Music, 1975
Snapper, Mission Music, 1975
Special K, Mission Music, 1975
Forecast for Tonight is Darkness, Mission Music, 1976
All the Things You Are (Jerome Kern, arr. Ricker), Warner/Chappell, 1982
Notte A Roma (Tyzik/Severinsen, arr. Ricker), Bella Music, 1993
Black Narcissus (Joe Henderson), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Creature Feature (Jerry Bergonzi), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Gaviota (Clare Fischer), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Jones (Jerry Bergonzi), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Times Lie (Chick Corea), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Witch Hunt (Wayne Shorter), ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Viper Cipher, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Passing Glances, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Jazz Sonata, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1994
Morning Star, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1996
Passion Flower, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1996
Suspended Animation, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1998
First Flight, ADVANCE MUSIC, 1998
Three Jazz Settings for Saxophone Quartet, ADVANCE MUSIC, 2000

Published Music - Non-Jazz

Ten Duets for the Twentieth Century Clarinetist, Autograph Editions, 1975
Mein Junge Leben Hat Ein End, JP Sweelinck, Transcribed for Wind Ensemble, G. Schirmer, 1975
Cello Suites 1, 2, 3, 4 of JS Bach for Solo Saxophone, Dorn Publications, 1978
Solar Chariots for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Dorn Publications, 1978
When I'm Sixty-four by Lennon/McCartney, Arranged for Saxophone Quartet, Kendor 1982
Variations on a Theme of Sweelinck for Saxophone Quartet, Kendor, 1982
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for Clarinet Quartet, ADVANCE Music, 1996
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for Clarinet, ADVANCE Music, 1996
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for Saxophone Quartet, ADVANCE Music, 1996

Grants

National Endowment for the Arts, Jazz/Folk/Ethnic Travel-Study Fellowship Grant for the study of saxophone and jazz improvisation with Joe Farrell, 1975
Eastman School of Music Faculty Grant for study of saxophone with Jean-Marie Londeix in Nice, France, 1976
National Endowment for the Arts, Jazz/Folk/Ethnic Fellowship Grant for the composition of a major work for saxophone soloist and jazz ensemble, 1977
New York State Council on the Arts and WXXI-FM Soundscape composition grant for the composition of Electra-Sax in Blue for electronic tape and alto saxophone, 1978
Creative Artist Public Service (CAPS) Composition Grant
ASCAP Standard Award, 1980-83, 1997-2011

Selected Recordings as a Performer

Ramon Ricker: Double Play
Eastman American Music Series Vol. 2: Heaven to Clear When Day Did Close
Jazz Sonata, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 8
New Music Mix, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 9
Sound Down, Joe Farrell arr. Ramon Ricker, Eastman Jazz Ensemble Live
When the Saints Go Marching In, arr. Ricker/Tyzik, Cincinnati Symphony
Dark Town Strutters Ball, arr. Ricker, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Solar Chariots: Ramon Ricker and Bill Dobbins
Viper Cipher, SAXOLOGY featuring Jerry Bergonzi

Record Production

Saxology (1984)
My First Concert: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (1984)
SAXOLOGY featuring Jerry Bergonzi (1996)
SAXOLOGY featuring Bob Mintzer (1996)
Jazz Sonata, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 8 (1999)
New Music Mix, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 9 (2000)

Compositions for Television

Arrangements and orchestrations for The Late, Great Me (ABC made-for-television movie)
Arrangements and orchestrations for Yesteryear, Dick Cavett (HBO)
Theme opening and close for NYPM (WXXI Public Television, Rochester, NY)
With Gene Bertoncini composed and performed The Mime Workshop (NET)
With Bill Cahn composed and performed For-everglades (WOKR TV, Rochester, NY)
Theme opening and segue for Video Shows (WXXI Public Television, Rochester, NY)

Commissioned Works

“POPS” arrangements for orchestra, including Unconditional Love for the American Symphony Carnegie Hall Children's Concerts (1984)
Saints Go Marching In for Cinn. Sym. Tale of Two Cities (with J. Tyzik) for Doc Severinsen and Symphony Orchestra (1983)
Carolina in the Morning, Charlotte Symphony (1990)
Christmas Sing-along, Atlanta Symphony (1991)
Three Jazz settings for Saxophone Quartet, THE Commission Project (1999)

Contracting/Performing of Selected Television Commercials and Program Themes

NBC
- Sports Theme
- NFL Classic
- NFL Preview
- Being No. 1
- Themes for the NBC 1988 Olympics
ABC
- Sunday Night Movie Theme
- ABC Theater
Cinemax
- Movie Intro Themes
HBO
- Feature Movie Theme
- Championship Boxing
- Wimbledon
- Inside Boxing
- Sugar Ray's All-Stars
- Baseball: When it Was a Game
- History of Sports Television
- Yesteryear - Dick Cavett Theme
- Inside the NFL
- Sports Illustrated Awards
- Americas Heroes
- HBO Sports Magazine: Arthur Ashe Special
- The AFL: Rebels with a Cause, 25 years of Sports
A&E
- Main Theme
Television commercials:
- Bausch & Lomb
- Xerox
- Manufacturers Hanover Trust
- Wegmans
- Omega: Wear It When You Get There
- Buick Dealers Theme Package
- Frontier Communications Company

Personal Life[edit]

Ricker lives in Fairport, NY, with his wife Judith.

External Links[edit]