TheRidgewoodConservatory

BRASS

GILLES BERNARD – TROMBONE
Doctor of Musical Arts, Manhattan School of Music; M.M., B.M., The Juilliard School. Studied with Dr. Per Brevig (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), David Finlayson (New York Philharmonic), and Jean Douay (National Orchestra of France). Assistant Professor at New Jersey City University and member of the Brass and Theory Faculty at Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division. Formerly Adjunct Professor of Low Brass at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY. Orchestral positions include Principal Trombone with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, PA, and Second Trombone with the Lancaster Summer Festival Orchestra, OH. Performs regularly with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, PA; the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, PA; the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, MA; the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, NY; the Connecticut Grand Opera, CT; the Berkshire Opera company, MA; the National Chorale, NYC. Performed with the National Orchestra of France under conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, David Zinman, Vaclav Neumann, Lorin Maazel, and with the Orchestre de Cannes, France. Active as soloist and chamber musician in the tri-state area. Appearances also include the Preparatory Division Faculty Recital series at Manhattan School of Music, the Mid-Day Concert series at NJ City University, and Music for All Seasons – an organization that brings music to adult care centers and retirement homes in NJ.

RICK SAVAGE – TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN, JAZZ
B.M., Jazz Studies, Indiana University. Studied with Jimmy Maxwell, Randy Brecker and Eddie Henderson in New York, William Adam at Indiana University, Warne Marsh and Harold Mitchell in Los Angeles. Taught instrumental and general music in schools throughout New York. Performed internationally with a variety of well known entertainers such as Tania Maria, Gerry Mulligan, Jack McDuff, Mel Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Stan Kenton, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Michael Jackson, The O'Jays, The Temptations, Henry Mancini, Peggy Lee, Burt Bacharach and many others. Appeared in The Five Spot, SOB’s and The Village Gate in NY; The Blue Note in NY, Tokyo, Osaka and Fukeuoka; as well as clubs in Tokyo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin and Minden. Founded The Rick Savage Quintet, touring the U.S. and Europe. Other artistic endeavors include commercial music, sound design and film scoring.

BENJAMIN WOLKINS – TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN, PICCOLO TRUMPET, JAZZ
M.A. Jazz Trumpet, Queens College - CUNY; B.M. Jazz Performance, University of Toledo. Additional coursework, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati and Indiana University. Private teachers: Bernard Sanchez, Gene Parker, William Adam, Pat Harbison, Brad Goode, John Rommel, Mark Byerly and Michael Philip Mossman. Additional study with Jon Hendricks, David Berkman, Arturo O’Farrill, Antonio Hart, Gunnar Mossblad, Scott Gwinnell, David Baker, Tyrone Wheeler, Philip De Greg, Rick Van Matre and Marc Fields. Teaching credits include private studios throughout Indiana, Ohio, NY and NJ. Clinician and adjudicator throughout the East Coast. Finalist in the 1999 and 2000 International Trumpet Guild, Jazz Soloist Competition. Jazz, orchestral, big band, marching band, swing and pop performances as a trumpet artist on B-flat and C trumpet, flugelhorn, soprano bugle and piccolo trumpet across the U.S. with such notables as the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Jack Morgan and the Russ Morgan Orchestra, Henry Cuesta and the Lawrence Welk All Stars, Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, Stan Rubin Orchestra, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Rydell, the Four Tops, John Von Ohlen and the Blue Wisp Big Band, Jon Hendricks, and the Big Apple Circus. Can be heard and/or seen on numerous CDs and DVDs with a wide variety of groups, as well as on his own Ben Wolkins Quartet, Ben Wolkins Trio and Ben Wolkins Trio 2 compact discs.