T.J. Ricer

T.J. Ricer's Biography

A Life Member of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, Dr. Thomas J. Ricer teaches tuba, euphonium and music education at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. He is a Tubist with the Royal Hawaiian Band, the Acting Principal of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and a founding member of the Emerald Brass Quintet. He has performed with the Cincinnati, Honolulu, Syracuse, Knoxville, Lima, and Middletown Symphony Orchestras; the orchestras of the Appalachian Ballet Company, Ballet Hawaii, and the Hawaii Opera Theatre; as well as Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band and the Knoxville Wind Symphony. He is the former Principal Tubist of the Springfield and Lebanon Symphony Orchestras. Ricer has played modern jazz as the tubist for the Dave Rivello Ensemble, funk sousaphone on two albums with the Po’ Boys Brass Band and held down the bottom voice in All the King’s Tubas. In addition to his work as a tubist, Ricer has played bass trombone in the Blue Wisp, Streamliners, Mike Lewis and Jack Carr Big Bands and as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He is a regularly contributing writer for the International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s Journal. Ricer has been on faculty at Nazareth College, the Eastman Community Music School, and the Hochstein School of Music and Dance. When not playing low brass, Ricer is the lead singer and bass player for CASH Back, a tribute to the Man in Black; has completed multiple marathons; and has worked as a certified group aerobics instructor. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Miami University, a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music.

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