Growing up in the Philippines, Richard Alcoy, who adopted the stage name Ric Ickard, started playing guitar at the age of eight by mimicking the recordings of Andres Segovia, Laurindo Almeida, Charlie Byrd and Chet Atkins.
At seventeen, he began performing guitar concerts. Until he began formal studies at St. Paul College in Manila, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in music education, he was entirely self-taught. At graduation, his alma mater
presented him a special award in musical performance. He won first prize in both classical and jazz guitar competitions in the 1980 Philippine Guitar Festival, and was the first guitarist to ever win both categories - all on the
same day. Ric's talents blossomed as a young artist. The Philippine government granted him a scholarship to study classical guitar.
Ric have performed in many five-star hotels and cruise ships. Aside from performing around the world, Ric is a regularly featured artist at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville, Tennessee,
the Guitarra Del Mar, as well as the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists.
After moving to the United States, based in Los Angeles, Ric continued to pursue his musical career by performing solo recitals. He currently has three CDs available, all of which contain wonderful guitar renditions of popular, jazz,
classical, and contemporary music.
Reviews:
• "You got a great technique and your classical expertise is excellent!"
- Nato Lima of "Los Indios Tabajaras"
• Ric excels in both Chet style and classical music. He is a professionally trained music educator who has traveled the world performing his music. He first brough his talents to Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in 1992 and has impressed us with his gentle and articualte guitar styles.
• "Ric Ickard is now gaining an international reputation establishing a concert career in United States and abroad. He is a unique and passionate guitarist with ample technique and musicality"
- Douglas Back, concert artist
• Ric is a delight to listen to and very talented. He made his playing look easy. He had everyone cheering and hollerin' with delight while he did such numbers as "Little Rock Getaway", "Drive In" and "Malaguena".
- Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists
• Ric Ickard deserves congratulations on an outstanding project with his new CD "Precious Companions". It is excellent in every way - the playing, choice of material and superb sound quality. This CD represent a tasteful blend of styles from classical to folk to jazz. He is talented many times over.
- Pat Kirtley, guitarist and producer
• His varied repertoire covers a broad musical spectrum, amply demonstrated on all his CDs. In public, you never know what to expect next from him. One moment he’ll be pickin’ like Chet Atkins, the next like Lenny Breau or Segovia.
- Burt Zeldin, guitarist and scientist
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.ricickard.com
Track List:
1. Solace (from The Sting)
2. Batukada
3. Yellow Bird
4. Walk, Don't Run
5. Vals Venezolano
6. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
7. Valse, Op. 64, No. 1 (Minute Waltz)
8. Oh My Love/Something/Lady Madonna Medley
9. Minuet and Prelude
10. Romance (from Forbidden Games)
11. Jammed Both Sides
12. Cancion Triste
13. Somewhere My Love
14. Stars and Stripes Forever
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
At seventeen, he began performing guitar concerts. Until he began formal studies at St. Paul College in Manila, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in music education, he was entirely self-taught. At graduation, his alma mater
presented him a special award in musical performance. He won first prize in both classical and jazz guitar competitions in the 1980 Philippine Guitar Festival, and was the first guitarist to ever win both categories - all on the
same day. Ric's talents blossomed as a young artist. The Philippine government granted him a scholarship to study classical guitar.
Ric have performed in many five-star hotels and cruise ships. Aside from performing around the world, Ric is a regularly featured artist at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville, Tennessee,
the Guitarra Del Mar, as well as the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists.
After moving to the United States, based in Los Angeles, Ric continued to pursue his musical career by performing solo recitals. He currently has three CDs available, all of which contain wonderful guitar renditions of popular, jazz,
classical, and contemporary music.
Reviews:
• "You got a great technique and your classical expertise is excellent!"
- Nato Lima of "Los Indios Tabajaras"
• Ric excels in both Chet style and classical music. He is a professionally trained music educator who has traveled the world performing his music. He first brough his talents to Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in 1992 and has impressed us with his gentle and articualte guitar styles.
• "Ric Ickard is now gaining an international reputation establishing a concert career in United States and abroad. He is a unique and passionate guitarist with ample technique and musicality"
- Douglas Back, concert artist
• Ric is a delight to listen to and very talented. He made his playing look easy. He had everyone cheering and hollerin' with delight while he did such numbers as "Little Rock Getaway", "Drive In" and "Malaguena".
- Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists
• Ric Ickard deserves congratulations on an outstanding project with his new CD "Precious Companions". It is excellent in every way - the playing, choice of material and superb sound quality. This CD represent a tasteful blend of styles from classical to folk to jazz. He is talented many times over.
- Pat Kirtley, guitarist and producer
• His varied repertoire covers a broad musical spectrum, amply demonstrated on all his CDs. In public, you never know what to expect next from him. One moment he’ll be pickin’ like Chet Atkins, the next like Lenny Breau or Segovia.
- Burt Zeldin, guitarist and scientist
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.ricickard.com
Track List:
1. Solace (from The Sting)
2. Batukada
3. Yellow Bird
4. Walk, Don't Run
5. Vals Venezolano
6. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
7. Valse, Op. 64, No. 1 (Minute Waltz)
8. Oh My Love/Something/Lady Madonna Medley
9. Minuet and Prelude
10. Romance (from Forbidden Games)
11. Jammed Both Sides
12. Cancion Triste
13. Somewhere My Love
14. Stars and Stripes Forever
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
- EASY LISTENING: Background Music
- JAZZ: Smooth Jazz
- FEATURING GUITAR