THE INAUGURAL RONALD CARTER WESTLAKE JAZZ FEST

About Ronald Carter

Professor Emeritus, Northern Illinois University

B.A., Bethune-Cookman University
M.A., The University of Illinois

Ronald Carter - Distinguished Professor, UNC-Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC. Carter was the former director of the world-renowned Northern Illinois University (NIU) Jazz Ensemble and former Director of Jazz Studies. Throughout his illustrious career, Carter was passionate about educating students in jazz education and performance on university, high school and performing arts schools and campuses across the country, South America and Canada. Every summer, he hosted the South Fulton Jazz Band camp for middle and high school students on the southside of Atlanta. He was a tremendous influence on students at Westlake High School and in the South Fulton community

As an educator, Carter presented workshops as guest conductor, artist, clinician, or adjudicator at Michigan State University, Georgia State University, Western Illinois University, University of Northern Colorado, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois, University of Iowa, Northern Illinois University, Hampton University, Loyola University, Coe College, Augustana College, Vander Cook College of Music, and Georgia State College, and Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. He performed, conducted and presented clinics at regional, national, and international conferences, and directed all-state jazz bands in Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Kentucky, Vermont, Arizona, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, Oregon and Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Alabama. Carter conducted the Florida State University Tri - State All-Star Jazz Band in 2017.

Carter who worked 18 years in the East St. Louis School District as the former director of the Lincoln Senior High School Jazz Band, also performed professionally in the St. Louis metropolitan area as a freelance musician on saxophone, clarinet, flute, and as a vocalist. He co-directed the group Infiniti and performed with the legendary George Hudson Orchestra. Carter has also performed professionally with Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, The Jimmy Dorsey Band, Wallace Roney, The Temptations, The Dells, Oliver Lake, Hamiett Bluiett, Leon Thomas, Art Davis, Fareed Haque, Joseph Bowie, Frank Mantooth, Terell Stafford, Orbert Davis, Carl Allen, Rodney Whitaker, and many others.

An abbreviated list of his honors and awards includes Downbeat Magazine’s Jazz Educators Hall of Fame, The Woody Herman Music Award (Birch Creek Music Center), The 1991 Milken National Distinguished Educator Award, Southern Illinois University Excellence in Teaching Award, and the St. Louis American Newspaper’s Excellence in Teaching Award and Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees Professorship.

Recently accepted appointment as Felton J. Capel Distinguished Professor of Performing and Fine Arts UNC – Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC.

Carter’s projects includes former International Consultant for the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York; former Lead Artist for the Jazz At Lincoln Center Band Director’s Academy; Co-Author for Alfred Publications “Swingin’ On The Bars”, and co-author of GIA Music Publications “Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz – Book I & II as well as a contributing author to the Beginning Jazz Ensemble Textbook.