Dr. Irving Ray

Dr. Irving Ray, of Arlington, Virginia, is a euphonium player in the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C. He completed his Bachelor of Music Education at Sam Houston State University and both a Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts in Euphonium Performance with a minor in Music Theory at the University of North Texas.

Prior to winning a job in the United States Army Band, Dr. Ray competed in a series of competitive solo competitions, having been named a finalist and semi-finalist numerous times at the prestigious Leonard Falcone International Solo Competition, the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, and the United States Army National Collegiate Solo Competition.

As a member of the Virginia Grand Military Band, he performs alongside current and retired members of the premiere Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marine bands of Washington, D.C. under the batons of principal guest conductor, Colonel Arnald Gabriel, former leader and commander of the United States Air Force Band and music director, Loras John Schissel, senior musicologist at the Library of Congress and a leading authority on the music of Percy Aldridge Grainger, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and former Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor, Serge Koussevitzky.

Aside from touring at colleges and conservatories across the United States with the North Texas Euphonium Quartet, Dr. Ray is an active performer and educator, both nationally and internationally, having been invited as a guest soloist and clinician in Singapore, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference, and Washington, D.C. to name a few. Some of his greatest musical influences include Frank Troyka, Dr. Matthew McInturf, Rex Martin, Dr. Demondrae Thurman, and Dr. Brian Bowman.

Irving is a Willson Performing Artist and performs on a Willson 2900TA.