Steven L. Ricks
477 N. Palisade Dr.
Orem, UT 84097
Office: (801) 422-6115 Home: (801) 224-4188
Fax: (801) 422-0533 E-mail: steve.ricks@byu.edu
Bio
Steven L. Ricks (b. 1969) received his early musical training as a trombonist in Mesa, AZ. He holds degrees in composition from Brigham Young University (B.M.), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (M.M.), and the University of Utah (Ph.D.). He received a Certificate of Advanced Musical Studies from King's College London in 2000, supported by a Graduate Research Fellowship from the University of Utah. His teachers have included Morris Rosenzweig, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Bill Brooks, and Michael Hicks.
Mr. Ricks’ prizes and honors include First Prize in the 1999 SCI/ASCAP Student Composition Competition, and four Barlow Endowment Commissions. He has been a fellow at June in Buffalo and the Composers Conference at Wellesley College, and his works have been performed by many leading contemporary music ensembles and performers including the the New York New Music Ensemble, Earplay, the California EAR Unit, the Talujon Percussion Quartet, flutist Rachel Rudich, pianist Ian Pace, and violinist Curtis Macomber. He is currently on the Board of Advisors of the Barlow Endowment, and an Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition at BYU where he directs the Electronic Music Studio.
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D., Music Composition, University of Utah, 2001
Certificate of Advanced Musical Studies, King’s College London, 2000
M.M., Music Composition, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1995
B.M., Music Composition, Magna Cum Laude, Brigham Young University, 1993
Associate Professor, Brigham Young University, 2007 to Present
Assistant
Professor, Brigham Young University, 2002-07
Visiting Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University, 2001-02
Director, Electronic Music Studio
Supervisor, Advanced MIDI and Music Notation Lab
Freshman and Sophomore Music Theory – common practice and 20th Century
Introduction to Electronic Music – including MIDI and musique concrète
Private Composition Lessons
Schenker Analysis
Form and Analysis
Dictation – tonal melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation
Adjunct Instructor, University of Utah, 1998-99, 2000-01
Teaching Assistant, University of Utah, 1995-98
Species Counterpoint – traditional two-part counterpoint in all five species
Freshman and Sophomore Musicianship – sight singing and dictation
Associate Instructor, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2000 to Present
Awards, Honors, and Fellowships
ASCAP Standard Awards, 1998-2004
Barlow Endowment Commissions, 2002, 1999
Fellow, June in Buffalo, 2002
First Prize, SCI/ASCAP Student Composition Competition, 1999
University of Utah Graduate Research Fellowship, 1999
Guest Lecturer, Purchase College, SUNY, 1999
Fellow, Composers Conference at Wellesley College, 1998
Fellow, Composition Seminar, CSU Summer Arts Program, 1996, 1997
University of Utah Leroy J. Robertson Prize in Composition, 1995
ASCAP Foundation Raymond Hubbell Award, 1991
Publications and Recordings
Leave Song, for fl. (picc.), ob. (e. hn.), cl., perc., sop., vln., vla., vc., cb., Society of Composers, Inc. Compact Disc Series, CD # 18, Capstone Records, released January 2003.
“Interview with Sir Harrison Birtwistle: The Last Supper,” SCI Newsletter 30 (September/October 2000): 4.
Circulation Segment (1998), for fl., cl., hn., perc., pf., cb., SCI Journal of Music Scores, Vol. 30.
Performing Experience
Conductor and Artistic Director, BYU Group for New Music, 2003 to Present
Conductor, Canyonlands New Music Ensemble 1996-97
Conductor, Utah Composers Ensemble 1995-99
Assistant Conductor, Canyonlands New Music Ensemble 2000-01, 1995-98
Vocalist, Utah Chamber Artists 1996-97
Trombonist, Professional and University Ensembles 1987-99
General Conducting Experience 1991-95
American Music Center, ASCAP, College Music Society, International Computer Music Association, Society of Composers, Inc., SEAMUS, Society for Music Theory
Dr. Morris Rosenzweig, University of Utah, Department of Music, 204 DGH, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, (801) 581-7248. E-mail: morris.rosenzweig@m.cc.utah.edu
Sir Harrison Birtwistle, The Silk House, Water Street, Mere, Wiltshire BA12 6DZ, United Kingdom. (Recommendation available upon written request.)
Mario Davidovsky, 490 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10024, (212) 873-0480.
Dr. Chen Yi, Lorena Searcy Cravens/Millsap/Missouri Distinguished Professor in Music Composition, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory, 4949 Cherry Street, Room 521D, Kansas City, MO 64110-2229, (816) 235-2911. E-mail: ChenYi@aol.com
Dr. Christopher Quinn, Westminster College, Director of Music, Department of
Music, Jewett #4, 1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105, (801) 832-2437.
E-mail: c-quinn@wcslc.edu
List of Works and Performances
Boundless Light (2003), solo flute and electroacoustic music (CD), ca. 12’
Performances: Yet to be scheduled.
Pulse Study (2003), marimba duo, ca. 2’
Performances: 10/03, DoublePlay, Symphony Space, Leonard Nimoy Thalia, NY, NY.
10/03, DoublePlay, William Paterson College, Paterson, NJ.
Ten Short Musical Thoughts (2002), two-channel digital compact disc, 6’.
Performances: 10/02, Utah Crosstalk electronic music concerts at BYU and the U of U.
Leave Song (2000-01), fl. (picc.), ob. (e.h.), cl., perc., sop., vln., vla., vc., cb., ca. 23’.
Performances: 3/02, BYU Group for New Music, BYU, Provo, UT.
3/00, Phoenix Ensemble, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
SCI National Student Conference.
Stilling (1997, rev. 2001), solo piano, ca. 6’.
Performances: 6/02, Ian Pace, June in Buffalo Conference, SUNY Buffalo, NY.
5/97, Utah Composers Ensemble, Jenny Harris, University of Utah.
Piece for Violin and Piano (1997, rev. 2001), ca. 14’ (in three movements.)
Performances: 3/02, Earplay, Green Room, Performing Arts Center, San Francisco, CA.
7/97, New York New Music Ensemble, CSU Summer Arts Program, Long Beach State, Long Beach, CA.
5/97, Utah Composers Ensemble, University of Utah.
Dividing Time (2000), percussion quartet (soloist + 3), ca. 15’.
Performances: 3/04, Talujon/Washington Square Contemporary Music Society, Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, NYU.
2/02, Talujon percussion quartet, Washington Square Church, NYC.
11/01, Talujon, Festival of New American Music, CSU Sacramento, CA.
11/01, Talujon; BYU, Provo, UT.
Dividing Time (2000), solo percussion, ca. 15’.
Performances: 9/02, Glenn Webb, Dumke Recital Hall, University of Utah, SLC, UT.
10/00, Dominic Donato, Christ and St. Stephen’s Church, NY, NY.
Sounded along dove dove (1999), electronic tape, 2’34’’.
Performances: 9/00, Faculty Recital, Westminster Concert Series,
Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT.
5/99, Utah Composers Ensemble, Salt Lake City, UT.
Circulation Segment (1998), fl. (picc.), cl. (bs. cl.), hn., perc., pf., cb., ca. 9’.
Performances: 4/99, Purchase College Contemporary Ensemble, SUNY Purchase, NY.
8/98, Composers Conference, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA.
5/98, Utah Composers Ensemble, composer conducting; University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
4/98, Utah Composers Ensemble, composer conducting, Brigham Young University Group for New Music, Provo, UT.
Vice Versa (1996), fl. (picc.), cl. (bs. cl.), vln., vc., pf., ca. 12’.
Performances: 1/03, Contemporary Music Consortium, Salt Lake City, UT. Composer conducting.
4/01, BYU Group for New Music, Provo, UT.
7/96, Speculum Musicae, CSU Summer Arts Program, Long Beach, CA.
5/96, Utah Composers Ensemble, composer conducting; University of Utah.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1996), choir (satb) and chamber orch., ca. 12’.
Performances: 12/96, Utah Chamber Artists, State Capitol, Salt Lake City, UT.
You Expect Me (1995), electronic tape, 6’30’’.
Performances: 2/95, Hear and Now concert, University of Illinois.
Boogie Stop Shuffle (1995), jazz big band, ca. 13’.
Performances: 7/99, Crescent School of Music Jazz I, Provo, UT.
10/95, Synthesis, BYU.
Monologue (1995), solo timpani, ca. 8’.
Performances: 4/95, Lamont Sawyer, recital; University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
Profane Etudes (1994), 2 fls., 2 cls., drum set, pf., 2 vlns., cb., ca. 11’.
Performances: 5/99, Utah Composers Ensemble, composer conducting, SLC, UT.
10/94, University of Illinois.
2/94, University of Illinois, composer conducting.
German Pancake (1991), soprano, fl., cl., bsn., vln., vc., ca. 4’30’’.
Performances: 4/93, Sarah Asplund, senior recital, BYU.
12/92, Composer’s senior recital, composer conducting, BYU.
4/92, BYU Group for New Music, composer conducting, Provo, UT.