Richard
T Leister
Richard
T Leister, a native of Toledo Ohio, moved to the Chicago area in 1976 to serve
with the 81st Army Band at Ft. Sheridan, IL. From his discharge in 1979, Rick
was been one of Chicago lands busy trumpet players, in demand for his ability
to fit into many diverse performance
situations.
He
has performed with the Toledo Symphony, Elgin Symphony, The Apollo Chorus, the
Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Chicagoland Pops, and was the Trumpet Soloist
with the Chicago Music Consortium Chamber Orchestra.
As a lead trumpet player, he played on many Chicago Big Bands and has performed
with, Burt Bacharach, Doc Severinsen, Manhattan Transfer, Wayne Newton, Henry
Mancini, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles and other Las Vegas style acts.
For over 20 years, Rick was an active member of Chicago musical theater, performing
Broadway Shows with the orchestras of the Arie Crown, the Schubert, the
Chicago, the Lyric Opera, the Palace, the Oriental, The Rosemont, Drury Lane,
and the Auditorium theaters.
His show credits
include Evita, Le Miserable, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Sunset Blvd.,
The Scarlet Pimpernal, West Side Story, Zorba with Anthony Quinn, Sugar Babies
with Micky Rooney, the pre Broadway premier of Victor Victoria with Julie
Andrews, the Chicago pre Broadway premier of Mel Brooks’, “The Producers” with
Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
Rick’s
trumpet teachers include: Bernard Sanchez (Toledo University), Charles
Geyer (Chicago Symphony), Vincent Cichowicz (Northwestern
University), and Bobby Lewis (Chicago Recording Artist).
Mr. Leister joined the music faculty of Illinois Wesleyan University in the
fall of 2001 accepting the position of Adjunct Professor of Trumpet. He is also
a member of the private teaching staff at three Chicago Suburban High Schools
and maintains a limited studio in his home.
Mr.
Leister still performs freelance and extra work with professional Chicago area
ensembles but has dedicated this stage of life to help further the musical
education of trumpet students.
| |
