Ralph Raymond Hays

From Wind Repertory Project
Ralph Raymond Hays


Biography

Ralph Raymond Hays (b. 1962, Wooster, Ohio) is an American composer and educator.

Hays was born and raised in Wooster, Ohio, and studied at the University of Miami (Florida), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music industry from the School of Music and a Juris Doctorate from the School of Law. He had planned a career in copyright licensing and intellectual property law; however, a number of events -- including the loss of a close friend -- brought him to the realization that life is simply too precious and fleeting to spend in a career to which one's heart and soul are not completely devoted. He then entered Kent State University where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in music composition and completed his certification in music education. As a graduate assistant, Ralph taught freshman music theory, and under the inauspicious title, "temporary part-time assistant professor," he taught music fundamentals and saxophone methods. Following graduation from Kent, Ralph taught band and general music in public and private schools throughout northeastern Ohio, and taught woodwinds privately.

Mr. Hays is adjunct professor of music at SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury, N.Y. Past employers include the College of Saint Rose in Albany, Schenectady County Community College, and the University of Florida.


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