Performing Credits “Commercial”


Able Valentino
Aces Entertainment
Atlantic Starr
Affinity
Al Wilson
Arizona Theater Company
Barbara Lewis
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Mason
Big Jay McNeely
Bloodstone
Blue Magic
Broadway Palms Theater
Bruce Gates Jazz Consortium Big Band
Buckinghams
Chi-Lites
Debbie Reynolds
Del Bybee Jazz Orchestra
Delfonics
Deniece Williams
Dennis Rowland
Devotion
Diana Lee
Don Rickles
Drew Bennett
Eddie Holman
Ekos
Encore
Esteban
Floaters
Frankie Ruiz Jr.
Friends Of Distinction
Gene Chandler
GQ
George Benson
Hamptons
Happenings
Heatwave
Herberger Headliners Orchestra
Honeycone
Impressions
Instant Classics
Intruders
Jaleo
Jame and Bobby Purify
Jay And The Americans
Jesse McGuire
Kay Starr
Kingsmen Big Band
Kurt Stan Big Band
Kurt Stan Jazz Combo
Malo
Manhattan Transfer
Manhattans
Manheim Steamroller
Mary Jane Girls
Midnighters
Mitch Miller

Mex-Sal
Miracles
Moments
Music Theater of Arizona
The New Gene Krupa Orchestra
Northern Lights
Notations
O'Jays
Originals
Pan-Am
Panacia
Pazport
Peaches & Herb
Percy Sledge
Persuaders
Phoenix Theater
Pink Flamingos
Rakata
Raun Alosi & the Knockouts
Rene y Rene
Repeat Offenders
Robert Street Band
San Tan BIg Band
Sister Sledge
Sixty Degrees North
Sly, Slick & Wicked
Steve Allen
Steve Ansel & The Jackson Street Band
Sunny Ozuna
Suzanne Somers
Swingtips
Taste of Honey
Temprees
Temptations
Zowie Bowie

Performing Credits “Legit”

Arizona Brass
Arizona Chamber Ensemble
Arizona Choral Arts Society Orchestra
ACSA  Faculty Brass Quintet
Ballet Arizona
Banff Center for the Arts Faculty Brass Quintet
David Hickman
Desert Chamber Musicians
Fiesta Brass
Jeffrey Siegel
La Jolla Chamber Orchestra
Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra
Orchestra of the Southwest
Orpheus Male Chorus
Palo Verde Brass
Phoenix Bach Choir
Phoenix Boys Choir
Phoenix Chamber Orchestra
Phoenix Master Works Choral Orchestra
Phoenix Symphony Brass Quintet
Phoenix Symphony Orchestra

Phoenix Symphony Pops w/Doc Severinsen
Quintessence Brass
St. Maria Goretti Chamber Orchestra
St. Mary's Basilica Chamber Orchestra
Salt River Brass Quintet
San Diego Symphony Orchestra
San Diego Symphony Pops
Sonoran Brass
Southwest Brass
The Tenors: Cook, Dixon, & Young
Tucson Symphony Brass Quintet



Education

Ray holds a BA in Music from San Diego State University and a Masters degree in Trumpet Performance  from Arizona State University where he taught applied trumpet, brass ensemble, and brass methods as a graduate teaching assistant. 

Ray’s principal trumpet teachers were David Hickman (ASU), Alan Siebert (SDSU)  and Charles Lauer.  He also studied with Tony Plog, Ray Mase, Jack Logan and Charles Bergincs.


Early Years and College

Ray started playing professionally and teaching trumpet at the age of 17 in San Diego, California. During his senior year of high school he started working with Devotion, a well established top forty club band.  At the same time he developed a teaching studio of approximately 20 students that he maintained until he left San Diego. 

After high school Ray attended San Diego State University.  At the end of his sophomore year Ray left Devotion and formed Quintessence Brass, a quintet made up of SDSU students and local professionals.  Aside from a busy quintet schedule, Ray worked as a soloist for weddings and performed with the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra.  As a commercial trumpet player Ray worked with The Del Bybee Jazz Orchestra, The Kurt Stan Big BandThe Kurt Stan Jazz Combo, The Kingsmen Big Band, and Northern Lights.  Ray also arranged and recorded horn parts for the San Diego Padres and San Diego Chargers promotional music at Brothers Recording Studio (in conjunction with KFMB Radio).

In 1986 Ray received a BA in Music form SDSU and was awarded a performance scholarship to attend Arizona State University and study under David Hickman.  Within 2 months of his arrival in Phoenix Ray was under contract to play lead trumpet for Phoenix Theater for the 1986-87 season.  During the summer of 1987 he performed as principal trumpet in the International Institute of Music Symphony Orchestra (Taos, NM).

In the Fall of 1987 Ray won an audition to play 3rd trumpet in the San Diego Symphony for the 1987-88 season.  Although already under a one year contract to play lead for Phoenix Theater and Musical Theater of Arizona he was able to play a great deal in San Diego by subbing out some shows and literally flying from one gig to the next.  Ray played principal on several concerts with the San Diego Symphony.

In the Fall of 1988 Ray returned to his studies at ASU and in 1989 received a MM in Trumpet Performance. In the Fall of 1989 he bagan his Doctoral studies at ASU where he was awarded a graduate teaching assistantship.


Pivate Teaching In Arizona

From 1989 to 2001 Ray  maintained a studio of 35 - 40 students.  His students consistently filled the top chairs in the Phoenix Youth Symphony and in all state and regional honor bands.  He also had great success placing students (almost all with scholarships) in universities such as ASU, University of Arizona, Eastman School of Music, USC, Oklahoma State University, Northern Arizona University and Sout hwest Louisiana State University.  Ray stopped teaching in 2001 due to an excessive performing/touring schedule and a desire to spend more time with his family.

Day Gig

Since leaving ASU in 1991 Ray has worked as the Director of Operations and then Executive Director for the Arizona Community School of the Arts (1992 - 2000).  He  served on the board of the Tempe Arts Coalition and as advisor to the boards of the Tempe Music House and the Arizona Chamber Ensemble.  In 2000 Ray incorporated Arizona Music and Fine Arts, which he owns and directs.  A multifaceted organization, AMFA faculty provide hundreds of students with music instruction in private schools across the metro Phoenix area, and acts as a booking agency for himself and Fiesta Brass.




1