Jazz and Computer Music Education
Reach has been an active jazz educator since the early 1970s. While attending Birmingham-Southern College, he created a series of jazz workshops which were hosted by the music department. He has taught jazz courses and computer music (MIDI) courses and workshops at numerous colleges, including Cedar Valley College in Dallas, Texas, Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo, the University of Alabama, and the University of North Texas. In the late 1970s, Reach was chosen by jazz educator Steve Sample, Sr to be the first ever graduate teaching assistant in the jazz program at the University of Alabama. From 1998 to 2005, Reach was instructor of jazz and music technology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and director of the UAB Jazz Ensemble. He is currently (2005 to present) Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHoF), where he directs the Student All-Star Band. He has also served as a faculty member of the W. C. Handy Jazz Camp, and is a regular featured performer at the W. C. Handy Music Festival and a member of the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars. In addition, Reach directs the Fun With Jazz Educational Program, which was originated through the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, and is now offered through the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
On April 21, 2013, Ray Reach received a resolution from the Alabama State House of Representatives commending him "...for his outstanding accomplishments..." and for his contributions to Music (and particularly Jazz)Education in Alabama. (See the photograph to the right.)
Reach has been involved with synthesizers (and later) computer-produced music since 1969, when he purchased his first Mini Moog. With the advent of MIDI, he worked in research and development for Systems Design Associates, Inc. of Dallas, Texas, makers of MIDI music software. Later, he co-founded the American MIDI Users Group (AMUG), which was based at the Dallas Infomart.
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