Bay Area trumpet player and educator Ricky Martinez received both his BM in music education and MA in teaching from San Josè State University. As an avid performer in the San Francisco Bay Area, he has performed with a wide variety of ensembles including jazz combos, big bands, salsa bands, musical theatre pit orchestras, and rock bands. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award winning musicians such as NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater and Catherine Russel. As an educator, he currently serves as the music director at Buchser Middle School in Santa Clara, leading three levels of band, two levels of orchestra, and a choir.