Dr. Thomas J. Ricer teaches Tuba, Euphonium, and Music Education at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and plays Tuba with the Royal Hawaiian Band.

He holds a Bachelor of Music from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Ricer has performed with the Cincinnati, Honolulu, Syracuse, Hawaii, Knoxville, Lima, and Middletown Symphony Orchestras and the orchestras of the Appalachian Ballet Company, Ballet Hawaii, and the Hawaii Opera Theatre, as well as Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band and the Knoxville Wind Symphony. He is a former principal tubist of the Springfield and Lebanon Symphony Orchestras.

Ricer has played modern jazz as the tubist for the Dave Rivello Ensemble and funk as a founding member of the Po’ Boys Brass Band. In addition to his work as a tubist, Ricer has played bass trombone in the Blue Wisp, Streamliners, and Jack Carr Big Bands and as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He is a regularly contributing writer for the International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s Journal. Dr. Ricer has been on faculty at Nazareth College, the Eastman Community Music School, and the Hochstein School of Music and Dance.

When not playing low brass, Ricer is the lead singer and bass player for “CASH Back”, a tribute to the Man in Black, has completed a marathon, and holds a certification as a group aerobics instructor.

T. J. Ricer is a Yamaha Performing Artist, performing on the YFB-821 F tuba, YCB-661 CC tuba, and a modified YEB-321 Eb tuba.

Ricer’s primary instructors include Mike Thornton, Sande MacMorran, and Don Harry.