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RAY WHEELER
An U.S. Army Veteran, Raymond Wheeler has had a varied career as both music educator and performer. He has a BS in music education from the University of Maryland, a Master of Music (MM) & Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of Michigan. He has taught in public and private institutions in Maryland, Michigan and New York City including lecturer of clarinet at the University of Michigan, Director of Bands at Wagner College and Kingsborough Community College and taught conducting at New York University. He served as Assistant Principal of the Music, Fine Arts and Technology Department at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan for over 20 years.
As a woodwind player he has performed with such diverse ensembles as the U.S. Army Field Band of Washington D.C., the Detroit Concert Band, the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York City, the New Jersey Pops, the Garden State Symphonic Band, the Staten Island Symphony, and the Paper Mill Playhouse Orchestra. He has performed on radio, television, on various recordings and film scores, and as soloist at Symphony Space and the Weil (formerly Carnegie) Recital Hall receiving a “…beautifully played” review from the New York Times. He has worked with notables such as Chic Corea, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Wayne Newton, and plays with the Katz & Brookdale Big Bands. He was the solo clarinetist with the Goldman Memorial Band of New York City and is currently principal clarinet with the Garden State Symphonic Band and guest conductor and principal clarinet with the Staten Island Philharmonic.
JIM CORWIN
James Corwin, clarinetist, saxophonist, composer/arranger holds a B.S. degree from the Mannes College of Music with a double major in clarinet performance and conducting, and a M.A. in Music Theory from the City College of New York. He was a recipient of a
US Government Fulbright Grant for a year of study in Rome, Italy at the Accademia di
St. Cecilia. He also has studied jazz improvisation with Dr. Barry Harris. Corwin has performed with many distinguished ensembles including the Marlboro Music Festival, Marlboro, VT., the American Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leopold Stokowski, Harkness Ballet Orchestra, the Goldman Memorial Band, the Garden State Symphonic Band, Staten Island Philharmonic, Staten Island Chamber Music Players, and Viva Voce, as well as in many regional theater productions. While an undergraduate at Mannes, He taught music at the New Lincoln School, and was also teaching clarinet in the Mannes College Preparatory Division. Later he began a 30-year career as Instrumental Music Specialist for the NYC Public Schools, most of which was served in Staten Island. Several selections from today’s program were arranged specifically for Viva Voce Reedfellas.
Recording: E-flat clarinet on Schönberg’s, Suite for Seven Instruments, op. 29, with Jaime Laredo, Harold Wright, etc., Leon Kirchner, conductor.
BARRY DELMAN
Barry Delman is a brilliant reedman who has been a featured alto saxophone soloist with the Staten Island Philharmonic on their annual December holiday concert. He received his Bachelor of Music (BM) from the Hartt College of Music & his Master of Music (MM) from the Juilliard school. For four decades he was a band director in NYC public & private schools primarily on Staten Island.
He has performed on many Broadway shows including Wicked, Chicago, & Sweeny Todd. For 20 years he performed with the Radio City Music Hall orchestra Christmas Spectacular. He has performed with the Aretha Franklin orchestra, and the Spoleto Festival orchestra. He currently performs with the Viva Voce, the Plays in the Park orchestra in Edison NJ, the Garden State Symphonic Band and the Staten Island Philharmonic.
ELLIOT STERN
Elliot Stern is a terrific reedman able to brilliantly bridge the gap between classical performance practice and improvisational jazz. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Arts (MA) in music education and taught music in Brooklyn & Staten Island for over 33 years.
His performing career includes traveling throughout the United States with the Duprees, & performing with the metro NY band the Flamingos. He has performed with such notables as Lou Christie, Little Anthony, Connie Francis, the Sherelles, the Platers and many more. He also has performed on several PBS “oldies” specials. Currently he plays with the Brookdale big band, Count Basie theatre in Red Bank, the Algonquin, and with the Staten Island Philharmonic and with his favorite friends and colleagues in the Reedfellas quartet.
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