Ray Premru
| Raymond Premru | |
|---|---|
Raymond Premru at the Oberlin Conservatory
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| Background information | |
| Born |
June 6, 1934 Elmira, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 8, 1998 (aged 63) |
| Genres | Classical, Jazz |
| Occupation(s) |
Trombonist Composer Pedagogue |
| Instruments | Trombone |
| Labels | (numerous) |
| Associated acts |
Philharmonia Orchestra Philip Jones Brass Ens. Oberlin Conservatory |
Raymond Eugene ("Ray") Premru (June 6, 1934 – May 8, 1998) was an American trombonist, composer, and music teacher, who was based for most of his career in London, England. His work on the bass trombone was widely admired, and is preserved on innumerable recordings in diverse genres; his teaching influenced many leading trombonists; and his compositions were performed by leading orchestras and ensembles throughout the United States and Great Britain, contributing significantly, in particular, to the repertoire for brass instruments.
The son of a Methodist minister, Premru was born in Elmira in western New York State and grew up in the Finger Lakes region south of Rochester. As a teenager he took up the trombone, and began studying with Dale Clark at the Eastman School of Music’s preparatory department. After high school he enrolled at Eastman to study trombone with Emory Remington, and composition with Louis Mennini and Bernard Rogers.
Soon after graduating in 1956, he travelled to England for further composition study with Peter Racine Fricker, intending to stay a few months. He began freelancing on trombone and bass trumpet, becoming a regular in the London jazz scene with groups like the Kenny Baker’s Dozen. In 1958, he won the bass trombone position in the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he would serve for the next 30 years. Also in 1958, he married Susan Talbot, with whom he would have two daughters.
In addition to performances and regular recording with the Philharmonia, Premru continued to freelance. As a session musician, he would play and record with, among others, Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles (most notably on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band). In 1964 he joined the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, for which he would write several pieces; he remained a member until Jones’ own retirement in 1987. He also co-directed, and composed for, the Bobby Lamb/Ray Premru Big Band.[1]
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