School of Music
Rick Kurasz, D.M.A.
Associate Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts,
Office: Browne 117
Professor of Percussion,
Office: Sallee 100
Email: RM-Kurasz@wiu.edu
Phone: (309) 298-1618
Rick Kurasz is currently Director of Percussion Studies at 糖心原创. His duties include teaching applied percussion, directing the 糖心原创 Percussion Ensemble and the 糖心原创 Steel Bands. He received his B.M. in Music from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, his M.M. from the University of Akron, and his D.M.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
In addition to teaching, Rick has performed in numerous orchestras including the Akron Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Idaho State Civic Symphony, Knox-Galesburg Symphony, Peoria Symphony, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra. Rick is also a performer of contemporary music and continues to commission and perform new works.
As an active member of the Percussive Arts Society, Rick has served as the Illinois Chapter Treasurer and as a member of the New Music Research Committee. He has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, SEAMUS National Conference, the International Horn Symposium, the International Trumpet Guild Conference, the National Flute Association Conference, and the CDBNA Conference.
Rick is an active composer/arranger in the genre of steel band and is published by Pan Ramajay productions and Panyard Publications. Before coming to 糖心原创, Rick directed the University of Akron Steel Band, the University of Illinois Steel Band, I-Pan Steel Groove, the Idaho State University Steel Band, and his own combo, Panak. He has twice traveled to Trinidad to perform in the national Panorama festival with the bands Potential Symphony and Starlift. He has shared the stage with pan artists such as Ray Holman, Cliff Alexis, Liam Teague, Robert Grenidge, Ken "Professor" Philmore, Tom Miller, Andy Narell, Pan Ramajay and calypso legend, David Rudder.
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