Background

Arthur D. Ferris is a retired U S Army musician (trumpeter) now living in Southeast Texas. Most of his career with the service bands was spent in Europe where he performed not only with the bands he was assigned to but also with European ensembles of various styles ranging from chamber orchestras to Big Bands as well as small combos and Latin "Salsa" bands. In January 2004 Mr. Ferris became the conductor for the Orange Community Concert Band in Orange, Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Lamar University in Beaumont. A graduate of the United States Army Element School of Music, USAESOM; Mr. Ferris is a certified band director in the states of Texas and Illinois and with the Department of Defense Education Activity, DoDEA. Mr. Ferris is currently a band director with the Bridge City Independent School District. A stern advocate of the jazz idiom; Mr. Ferris is active in the promotion of jazz in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana as a performer and jazz clinician. Mr. Ferris has performed with ensembles in more than 8 different countries in some of the world's most prestigious music venues with such artist and conductors as Bobby Shew, Allen Vizutti, Marvin Stamm, Slide Hampton, Alfred Reed, and Frank Battisti. He has also participated in conducting symposiums and staff development with Barry W. Johnson, Frank Battisti, Craig Kirchhoff, Anthony Maiello, Scott Weiss, John Whitwell and the late Dr. William Rivelli. Mr. Ferris’s professional affiliations are with the: International Trumpet Guild, International Association of Jazz Educators, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Association of Texas Small School Bands, The National Association for Music Education and Kappa Kappa Psi (Gamma Zeta Chapter). Art is married to the former Miss Renate B. E. Urban of Kaiserslautern, Germany and they have three children, Sascha, Yvonne and David.

Location

Bridge City, Texas

Occupation

Educator / Performer

Music That Inspires Me

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Films I'll Watch More Than Once

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