Flutist Adam Ray has not only made a name for himself on the New York music scene but also accomplished a lot at his young age while bringing much needed diversity to classical music.
At 32, Ray is principal flute for the Lehman College Symphony Orchestra, second flute and piccolo for the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra and a player for the Lehman College Community Band. He also does solo and small ensemble work at various musical venues.
Ray attributes his musical influence from his father, jazz trumpeter Michael Ray, known for his work with funk and R&B band Kool and the Gang and the Sun Ra Arkestra. Father and son are currently working on a collaboration album.
“My father has been a huge influence on me from putting me onto different kinds of music to telling me about things I should know,” said Ray. He’s been that jewel. I’m able to see him in action as well as travel with him and learn more about the business side of the music industry.”
A native of Yonkers, Ray said he got into playing musical instruments while in the fifth grade, watching students demonstrate instruments at a school assembly.
“When I got to the fifth grad, something told me to finally play an instrument,” he said. “I was always attracted to the flute and the saxophone.”
Using a school instrument, he proved to be a prodigy on the flute, taking six weeks to learn the instrument and performing at school band concerts and soon the all-city band within a matter of months. He earned high honors for his playing through high school.
In many situations, Ray said he faced adversity, often times being the only African-American male in his section band during his youth. Although he was the most talented, band directors sometimes placed him in last chair.
“As a Black person you always have to work a little harder when playing the flute.” he said. “I was stuck playing third flute in the last row, but I knew I sounded good. It took me two years to get in the front row. No one wanted to hear me play. I guess they didn’t care.”
He proved many wrong when he received a high grade at the New York State School Music Association, earning a position in the All-State band.
Ray also participated in the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics, playing in the competition’s instrumental music category. He has also helped young instrumentalists in the program after him,
While in high school, Ray was also the first recipient of the Jerome G. Sala Memorial Competition at Lehman College and won the honor again while in college. The winner of the competition gets to play with the Lehman College Community Band at a concert. He’s the only person to win the award twice since its inception.
After graduating high school, Ray attended Westchester Community College, later leaving to join the workforce. At this time, he also started to stray from music.
However, after not playing the flute for nearly three years, he decided to go back to school and is currently a junior year at Lehman College, where he is majoring in music performance. Ray aspires to attend New York University to earn a master’s degree.
Today, along with playing classical music, Ray enjoys playing contemporary music and jazz. His musical influences include Herbert Laws, Bobbi Humphrey and Najee, from whom he receives lessons via Skype. Ray said he plans to record his own album in the future and wants to mold the next generation of musicians.
“I see myself in 10 years involved with kids in music,” he said. “I definitely want to get more recording done and create a music company. I’m really good with project-based stuff and I have a lot of ideas I want to formulate.”