Camtastic Newsletter April 2025

Trumpeter Ricky Spears is home with the SIU School of Music

By Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — At just 26 years old, Nick Bruno, a first-year graduate assistant and student in trumpet performance in SIU Carbondale’s School of Music, has already had a professional career ranging from three national Broadway tours, including the first national tour of The Cher Show, as well as playing in France, Italy, Switzerland and more.

Last fall, while Bruno was a band director in New York City, he was considering where to pursue his master's degree, his former instructor and colleague Ricky Spears recommended SIU Carbondale, where Spears was going to become an assistant professor of trumpet and assistant director of athletic bands.

“That was all the information I needed, and I chose to come out here,” said Bruno, who was also the assistant marching band director under Spears at Southern Nazarene University.“His personality is infectious; so is his positivity. He wants success for everyone who is around him and everyone who studies with him,” Bruno said. “It’s obvious in every lesson you go into whether you are having a good day or bad day, you always leave feeling good about yourself. You feel like you come out a better player and better person after every lesson and every interaction you have with him.”

Spears hit the ground full steam after being hired as full-time assistant professor of trumpet and assistant director of athletic bands at SIU from Southern Nazarene University. He quickly recruited students to form an 18-member trumpet studio that sent two ensembles to the National Trumpet Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, in March.

‘Scratching the surface of what can happen’

Originally from Ashland, Kentucky, Spears said coming to SIU Carbondale, with his wife, Brittainy, an assistant lecturer in the School of Music, and their three daughters is fulfilling.

He’s closer to family and friends, and Carbondale reminds him a lot of his Kentucky home.

“I’ve done most of - the gigs I’ve ever wanted and yet the second chapter has only just begun. I’m in a time in life where I’m a father and I don’t want to miss any of that,” he said. “I want to have the ability to be home to be with my family and Carbondale has given me that ability.”

“SIU has been very kind to us, and I feel like we are just beginning to scratch the surface of what can happen here.”

Spears’ orchestral and commercial music work includes performing with such artists as The Temptations, The Four Tops, Dave Koz, Wycliff Gordan and Sandi Patty. He also toured as a professional musician for Broadway productions, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf,” “A Christmas Story” and the international Shanghai tour of “A Chorus Line.” Spears also lived and performed in Macao as part of the Dragone — Cirque De Soleil show “Taboo.”

‘A musician’s musician’

Richard Kelley, SIU School of Music director, said he believes Spears’ greatest ability is to communicate and lead. Many students of all ages are traveling long distances to work with him, and all of the region’s band directors have been in touch with him. Spears also “represents a catalyst for change,” Kelley said.

“The School of Music has been moving in some exciting directions to cement our future. Ricky is part of that direction, and his expertise helps us move forward at an accelerated pace,” Kelley said. “The most important thing I can say about Ricky is that he is a regular kind of person — a musician’s musician if you will. There is no ego, arrogance or barrier to him. He just wants to play music at a high level, share it with others and have fun while doing so.”

Enthusiasm and hard work

School of Music alumna Kristy Demos of Carbondale said Spears has “brought a lot of enthusiasm” into the studio. Demos, who works in SIU’s registrar’s office, has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in trumpet performance and was excited for the opportunity to take lessons from Spears after meeting him over the summer. In addition to helping her musicianship, Demos, an area freelance artist who also teaches lessons and works at the Paducah Symphony Orchestra Academy, said that Spears provides advice in helping her navigate the music industry and putting together audition material.

School of Music alumni she has talked with are “ecstatic” with Spears, she said.

“Bringing all of these students he has worked with previously — they already have their established culture of that same kind of enthusiasm and work ethic,” she said. “Having that large group of students coming in and working hard — it’s pretty amazing, not only with the things that he is getting out of them as students but also what that attitude and drive can put into the School of Music.”

Bruno, who has played professionally since he was 16 years old, said Spears is a “pretty big cornerstone” in how he approaches his profession. That includes advice on being out of the road and inquiring about auditions. And while the music industry can be cutthroat, Bruno said, Spears sees his job as preparing his students.

“It’s your job to become the best possible instrumentalist, vocalist or whatever you do that you possibly can,” Bruno said. “That is what he pushes for — you have to be able to do it all in order to make it in this field today because everyone wants to do what you are doing.

“Dr. Spears is relentless in the sense that he wants you to do your best, and he expects the highest standard from you. He wants to lift you up.”

Spears credits much of his work ethic, success and uplifting approach to his own undergraduate professor of trumpet, Greg Wing at Morehead State University. Wing was a student of famed Indiana University professor and trumpeter Bill Adam.

“Prof. Wing always told us, ‘I believe in you more than you believe in you right now, and one day that will change. If I can get you to that sooner, your whole life will change.’” Spears said. “He believed in people, and if you get people to believe in themselves, everything will take care of itself.” 

(Photos by Russell Bailey)