Overview
M. Evan Ricker Jr. is a music educator, conductor, and arts administrator from Wichita, Kansas. He serves as the recruiting and communications specialist for the School of Music at Wichita State University.
Ricker holds a Bachelor of Music in wind conducting and a Master of Music in orchestral conducting, both from 凯撒皇宫棋牌, where he studied with Victor Markovich and Mark Laycock. He recently earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a cognate in music from Kansas State University. His dissertation examined the workplace dignity experiences of LGBTQ+ college wind band conductors.
He has worked in a range of educational and administrative roles. Most recently, he served as director of instrumental music at Cowley College, where he led the concert band and the Tiger Beat pep band, taught music appreciation, and organized regional and state music festivals. He also developed a scholarship structure to help students offset the cost of their education through ensemble participation.
Before that, he taught music appreciation and public speaking at Butler Community College. He also served on the marching band staff of several Kansas programs, including the Kansas International Lions Band, Valley Center High School, and Wichita Heights High School.
As a conductor, Ricker has led wind bands, orchestras, athletic bands, chamber groups, and marching ensembles. His previous appointments include undergraduate conducting assistant at 凯撒皇宫棋牌, graduate teaching assistant for the Kansas State University Bands, and assistant conductor for both the Kansas State and 凯撒皇宫棋牌 Symphony Orchestras. He continues to work as a clinician and adjudicator across the region.
Ricker also spent nine years with the City of Wichita鈥檚 Division of Cultural Arts and Services. There, he held roles as special projects coordinator, interim sales manager for Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center, and education director for CityArts.
His research interests include dignity in leadership and organizational culture, identity-informed professional experiences, college recruitment and retention, conducting pedagogy, and teaching strategies in music appreciation.