Rick Ferguson - Piano, Director
Rick "The Philosopher"
“As a teacher, I focus on the process of learning to think musically – I want my students to become musically literate, yes, and just as important, to find their musicality, their individual voice as a young musician. I founded The Musical Offering as a place for teachers who value music education as the process of bringing a work to life and sharing your personal joy in that process with students.”
Rick "The Teacher"
I have a Master of Music in piano performance from the University of Houston (supervised by concert artist Abbey Simon) and a Bachelor of Music Degree in piano performance from Birmingham-Southern College (magna cum laude).
My musical education has taken me to the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA and Northwestern University, where I undertook post-graduate study. I then taught on the faculties of the Houston Conservatory of Music and the Musikschule Kassel in Kassel, Germany.
I'm currently the piano instructor at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where I help shape the next generation of pianists.
Rick "The Music School Director"
As co-founder and the current Director of The Musical Offering, I see my role as a facilitator of musical partnerships, and new performance and learning opportunities, not just for our private students and our faculty, but for all Evanstonians who are open to getting to know all that music has to offer us.
Rick "The Performer"
- A frequent guest at the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago’s WFMT radio station’s live broadcasts and in other venues around Chicagoland and beyond.
- Co-founded Ondas Ensemble in 2007. This ensemble is devoted to the performance of current and historical chamber music of Latin American composers from Central and South America and the USA. Ondas has been featured on Chicago’s WFMT, WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” and will go into the recording studio in December 2011 to record the chamber music of Brazilian composer Miguel Kertsman.
- Chamber and orchestral engagements, both in the U.S. and Europe. Concerto performances include Mozart’s K. 450, Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto and the Grieg Concerto
- Two-time winner of the Alys R. Stephens Piano Competition (Alabama)
- Winner of an Obelisk Award for excellence in the performing arts (Alabama)
- Inaugural winner of the Brazos Valley Young Artists Competition (Texas)
Rick "The Recording Artist"
- “Romantic Songs for Clarinet and Piano” on the Southport label with clarinetist Wagner Campos
- A recording of clarinet chamber music with the Chicago Clarinet Trio (Larry Combs, Julie Deroche and Wagner Campos)
Rick "The Dad"
A native of Gadsden, Alabama, I have a daughter Molly, who is already playing the piano up a storm at the age of six! Planting flowers, reading books, baking pumpkin pies and rooting for Auburn and Northwestern football are some of our favorite things.
To learn more about Rick, visit his websites:
ondasensemble.com
chicagoartsacademy.org
Please contact The Musical Offering to learn more about private lessons with Rick.