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.
Pivate Teaching In ArizonaAfter 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 Band, The 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. 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.
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