David Reffkin
RESUME – MUSIC CONCENTRATION
My professional life intersects the art and science of activities and interests that include performance, management, research, journalism, and education. I pursue activities that utilize my interests and skills while offering new challenges and growth.
This resume highlights several recent and extended activities. Further details, listings, and references are available on request.
PERFORMING EXPERIENCE
[1973-present] Founder, Director, violinist, The American Ragtime Ensemble, San Francisco CA
[1990-present] Violinist, assistant director, The Divertimento Dance Orchestra, San Mateo CA
[1974-present] Co-founder, featured violinist, Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, Sedalia MO
[1993-1997] Lead violinist, The New England Ragtime Ensemble national tours
[1986-2015] Lead violinist, contractor, The Peter Mintun Orchestra, San Francisco CA
[1983-1993] Founder, Director, violinist, The St Francis Strings, Westin St Francis Hotel, San Francisco CA (1981-1983 violinist, predecessor group)
[1979-1990] Co-Founder, Concertmaster, Associate Conductor, San Francisco Chamber Players (renamed Artea), San Francisco CA
TEACHING and GUEST SPEAKER EXPERIENCE
[2018] Guest panelist, Tribute to Gunther Schuller, New England Conservatory, Boston MA
[2014-present] Private teacher, Sunset Academy of Music, San Francisco CA
[1973-present] Guest speaker, concert, festival, broadcast panels, lecture series
[1998-1999] Instructor, History of Ragtime, SF Conservatory and City College of San Francisco, San Francisco CA
CONTRACTING
[ongoing] Music contractor for corporate, government and private clients, daily and on-call; scheduling, subcontracting, maintaining library, designing logistics, administering payroll
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE (Director-level)
[2016-2019] Associate Program Director, Community Music Center, San Francisco CA; responsible for organization of the private lesson faculty, including hiring, evaluation, in-school and community activity engagement, development of particular program elements, annual Juries, All School Recital, scholarship programs, conflict resolution, performances, workshops, and many other areas
BOARD MEMBERHIPS
[1988-present]Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival (Co-Director/Advisor/Historian), Sedalia MO; [1974-present] other performing arts boards as member or president
JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE
[2016] Author, liner notes, “Essays in Ragtime: The Music of Brun Campbell” (Rivermont BSW-2236), in conjunction with published recording
[2012-2013] Technical Writer, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University
[2004] Author, Foreword, Cakewalks, Rags and Novelties(comp. Allan Sutton
Mainspring Press, 2003; awarded “Excellence in recorded historical sound research,” Association for Recorded Sound Collections
[1973-2010] Contributing Editor, Reviewer, Correspondent, The Mississippi Rag(Winner, Readers’ Poll: “Best Journalist” 1999)
[1996] Author, liner notes, “Arden and Ohman” Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era (Pearl CD GEMM 9203)
Acknowledged for contributions to:
[2019] Superswing: Johnny Guarnieri(Derek Coller, Jazzology)
[2008] 1915 World’s Fair (June Mesina Oullette, PBS (Great Performances)
[2007] Hello, Frisco (Ailsa Chang, The California Report, KQED-FM)
[1996] Broadway Sheet Music (Donald Stubblebine, McFarland)
[1994, 2016] King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era (Ed Berlin, Oxford)
[1991] Cinema Sheet Music (Donald Stubblebine, McFarland)
[1985] Ragtime: Its History, Composers and Music (ed. John Hasse, Schirmer)
CURATING EXPERIENCE
[2005-2009] Guest Curator, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum: created exhibitions for Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Symphony, and San Francisco Opera
[1973-present] Archivist and Curator of the orchestration collection of The American Ragtime Ensemble
[1994-2011] Archivist and Curator, recording libraries and equipment archive of KUSF-FM, University of San Francisco
COMPOSITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS
[1979-present] composer, arranger, orchestrator; copyrights on original works
[2007] “Reflective Rag,” “Lazy Beguine” (Judith Lang Zaimont), orchestrations for performance and recording, published by Jeanné
RECORDINGS
[2016] Essays in Ragtime: The Music of Brun Campbell(CD, Rivermont BSW-2236), The American Ragtime Ensemble, in conjunction with published biography
[2007] Prestidigitations(CD MSR MS 1238), The American Ragtime Ensemble
[1975, 1994, 2003] Ragtime Chamber Music (CO 109), The American Ragtime Ensemble
[1976-1977] Guest “fiddler” with Doc Severinsen, concerts, live concert recordings
BROADCAST and RECORDING ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE
[1981-2011] Producer and Host, KUSF-FM, University of San Francisco, SF CA:
Static Limit: interviews with renowned researchers in astrophysics, quantum physics; information/audio at https://sites.google.com/site/staticlimitaudio/
The Ragtime Machine, The Classical Salon, Classical Innovations: music, interviews, reviews, events
[1994-2011] Projects Coordinator, Record Archivist, facilities manager, KUSF-FM, University of San Francisco, SF CA
[1969-1973] Recording Engineer, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA
[1973] The Red Back Book(Angel S-36060) New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble Grammy: “Best Chamber Music Recording”
[1981-2011] Independent and assistant recording engineer on projects for National Public Radio, ABC Satellite broadcasts, Public Broadcasting System, Radio Taiwan, British Broadcasting Corporation, individual stations
AWARDS and HONORS
[2011] San Francisco Mayor’s Certificate of Honor (for service to San Francisco)
[2006] Recipient Scott Joplin Award (annual international award for excellence)
TESTIMONIALS
David Reffkin generously provided insights on ragtime orchestrations. In addition, Reffkin read my manuscript and offered numerous, thought-provoking comments.
-Ed Berlin, King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era
David Reffkin provided early guidance and support in vetting the first draft of the manuscript, and of course contributed the perceptive foreword.
-Allan Sutton, Cakewalks, Rags and Novelties
I enjoyed it so very much.
-Donita Fowler (Scott Joplin’s niece)
David Reffkin
RESUME – ADMINISTRATIVE CONCENTRATION
My professional life intersects the art and science of activities and interests that include management, research, journalism, and education. I pursue activities that utilize my interests and skills while offering new challenges and growth.
This resume summarizes several recent activities. Further details and listings are available on request.
Administration and project management
- [2016-2019] Associate Program Director, Community Music Center, San Francisco CA (music school for students of all ages and income levels); responsible for organization of the private lesson faculty, hiring, evaluation, community engagement, scholarship programs, and conflict resolution
Streamlined and innovated ongoing tracking of resources and faculty, resulting in more efficient faculty engagement and economical use of resources; increased the monetary value of instrumental holdings while reducing need for storage space; participated in facility expansion planning
- [1974-2011] Projects Director, KUSF-FM, San Francisco CA (community radio station, University of San Francisco); multi-faceted position with responsibility for programing, events, staff training, recording library and document archives, maintenance, vendor liaison, and facilities management
Designed installation plans for new equipment with creative use of space and limited budget, and instructed staff on its use; expertise in music translated to efficient evaluation of donated materials and elimination of excess items
- [ongoing] Director-level and staff administrator for professional, educational, regional, and community organizations; advisor for cultural programs and incentive projects, with expert knowledge in specialized fields
Organized the performance of national anthems at the North American Vexillological Association (flag collectors) biennial conference; complete performances of all participating nations had never been attempted in this conference’s history
- [ongoing] Board memberships: officer, member, or advisor for national and local professional organizations and committees; volunteer associate for annual events of San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Friends of SF Public Library
Created a visual art product utilizing donated books and other recycled materials for Friends of San Francisco Public Library; these popular items are sold at the Friends Bookstore, raising money for the Library
Teaching
- [2014-present] Private lesson violin teacher, all age students
- [previous] Public school instrumental, theory, and director positions
Devised original lesson plan structures and activity schedules for in-school and extra-curricular classes and private lessons; result was an increase in presence of the students in the community, and well-defined improvements in contest results
Journalism
- [2016] C0-writer, Brun Campbell, advisor, King of Ragtime (biographies)
- [2000-present] Editor, proofreader, advisor for several books, journals
Considerable advisory and technical help for a published biography resulted in the author’s statement that I could have been deservedly listed as co-author; printed acknowledgments elsewhere note major assistance for published works
- [2012-2013] Technical Writer for Communications Dept., SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (Stanford University): wrote and edited in-house and public newsletters
Personal interest in astrophysics and creation of a radio interview program resulted in being hired as a Technical Writer for SLAC
Curating/Archiving
- [2005-2009] Guest Curator, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum: created exhibitions for Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Symphony, and San Francisco Opera
Challenge: create a comprehensive exhibition celebrating Davies Symphony Hall’s 25thAnniversary. Action: interviewed administrators, industry crafts people, and other interested parties. Result: compiled a 200-item display that satisfied the organization’s expectations, the public’s curiosity, and highlighted the Hall’s prestige
Awards/Honors
- [2011] San Francisco Mayor’s Certificate of Honor recipient
(for service to San Francisco)
- [2006] Recipient Scott Joplin Award (annual international award for excellence)
Degree
- Bachelor of Music – Performance and Education, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts