Rick Dior has an extensive background in percussion. He has served as the Professor of Percussion at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte since 2001. Rick is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with renowned timpanist Fred Hinger and jazz composer Bob Mintzer. He also studied extensively with famed jazz drummer Joe Morello.
Rick has performed as a percussionist with some of the greatest artists in the music industry, including James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Ray Charles, Bobby McFerrin, and Al Jarreau. He has added his jazz drum set talents to performances with many great jazz artists, including Marvin Stamm, Bill Watrous, Clark Terry, Red Rodney, Chris Potter, Russell Malone and Lionel Hampton. Some of these performances have taken place with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, which he has performed with since 1990 as principal percussionist, section percussionist and timpanist.
He is the author of several percussion books and DVDs, including the acclaimed, œAdvanced Coordination for Drum Set and Hand Percussion. His compositions are published by Tapspace.
