Rick Kerber Scholarship
Rick Kerber, 45, died on Thursday, October 28, 1999. Rick was born in Philadelphia. He was a professional musician and music educator. He earned his bachelor's degree in music education form Temple University in 1975.
After graduation, he began performing for headliners in casino showrooms in Las Vegas, Nevada and in Casinos in Atlantic City.
He performed with Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Jr. and Frank Sinatra among many others. He also did extensive recording work for Columbia, Atlantic and MCA and can be heard on local TV and radio jingles. Mr. Kerber conducted the Region III Junior and Senior High School Jazz Ensembles and recently was the composer for the Junior & Senior High Jazz Trumpet Etudes for the New Jersey International Association for Jazz Education.
Since 1996, Rick was the conductor of the Mid-Atlantic All-Star Grammy High School Jazz Ensemble. For the last five years, he was an artist/clinician for the Yamaha Corporation and also a member of the Music Educators National Conference, International Association for Jazz Education, Vice President of the New Jersey Unit of IAJE, International Trumpet Guild and a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was a frequent adjudicator for high school jazz festivals in the tri-state area and also a sought after clinician.
He is survived by his wife, Florence; a son Paul and a daughter Ashley, both at home; his parents, Heinz and Ilse Kerber of Warminster, Pa.; a brother, Ron of Southampton, Pa.; three nephews and seven nieces.
After graduation, he began performing for headliners in casino showrooms in Las Vegas, Nevada and in Casinos in Atlantic City.
He performed with Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Jr. and Frank Sinatra among many others. He also did extensive recording work for Columbia, Atlantic and MCA and can be heard on local TV and radio jingles. Mr. Kerber conducted the Region III Junior and Senior High School Jazz Ensembles and recently was the composer for the Junior & Senior High Jazz Trumpet Etudes for the New Jersey International Association for Jazz Education.
Since 1996, Rick was the conductor of the Mid-Atlantic All-Star Grammy High School Jazz Ensemble. For the last five years, he was an artist/clinician for the Yamaha Corporation and also a member of the Music Educators National Conference, International Association for Jazz Education, Vice President of the New Jersey Unit of IAJE, International Trumpet Guild and a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He was a frequent adjudicator for high school jazz festivals in the tri-state area and also a sought after clinician.
He is survived by his wife, Florence; a son Paul and a daughter Ashley, both at home; his parents, Heinz and Ilse Kerber of Warminster, Pa.; a brother, Ron of Southampton, Pa.; three nephews and seven nieces.
Scholarship Criteria
The "Rick Kerber Scholarship" is an award in honor of the late Rick Kerber who left this world much to early. His influence on students in the area of jazz music was profound and is missed. The "Rick Kerber Scholarship" is presented to an outstanding senior who is graduating from high school and will be attending college for the further study of music after graduation. Students are recommended for the scholarship by their jazz band directors. These students are then evaluated during the NJ State Jazz Band Festival performances and are then approved by a selection committee from the NJAJE executive board, the NJ State Jazz Band Festival Coordinator, and the State Festival Adjudicators.
The New Jersey Association for Jazz Education has established a scholarship fund in the memory of Rick Kerber.
Donations may be sent to:
The Rick Kerber Scholarship Fund
c/o John Maiello, NJAJE Treasurer
3 Spring Street
Stanhope, NJ 07874
Make checks payable to: NJAJE Kerber Scholarship Fund
Donations may be sent to:
The Rick Kerber Scholarship Fund
c/o John Maiello, NJAJE Treasurer
3 Spring Street
Stanhope, NJ 07874
Make checks payable to: NJAJE Kerber Scholarship Fund
Previous Recipients of the Rick Kerber Scholarship
Recipients of the Rick Kerber Scholarship are listed by Finals Division in the following order:
Division I (largest school populations) *Includes magnet and private schools after 2018
Division II (moderate school populations)
Division III (smallest school populations)
Data is currently unavailable for the years 1999 - 2006
2007
Eric Neveloff - Alto Sax (West Orange)
Dave Pomerantz - Trumpet (Shawnee)
Sara VanderVeen - Alto Sax (Sparta)
2008
Joe Streater - Trumpet (Camden)
David Hardy - Drums (Northern Burlington)
Rob Tait - Drums (Shawnee)
2009
Unavailable at this time
2010
Dean Schweiger - Drums (Cherokee)
Brian Simontacchi - Trombone (Newark)
Melissa Srolovitz -Tenor (Seneca)
2011
Kristina O’Dea - Vibes (Cherokee)
Richard Thomas (Jackson)
Henry Ellis Drums (Newark)
2012
Arnetta Johnson - Trumpet (Camden)
Alex Anderson (Princeton)
Dan Ponti - Guitar (Overbrook)
2013
Zachary Prezant - Bass (Bridgewater)
Mark Stern (Princeton)
Nathan Rice (Newark)
2014
Justin Jones, JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble
Panayiotis Dimopoulos - Alto Sax, SPF Moonglowers
Coleman Hughes - Trombone, Newark Chameleon
2015
Richard Williams, Alto Sax, Camden
Alex Karakis, SPF Moonglowers
George Austin, Bass, NA Chameleon
2016
Carlton Harris, Flute/Sax, Camden
Joe Bell, Guitar, Princeton Studio Band
Matt Voltaire, Trumpet, Overbrook
2017
Jean Paolo Flores, Edison
Raphael Krause Palit, Sparta Blues Inc.
Alex Kerssen, Tenor Sax, West Milford
2018
Varun Das, Drums, John P. Stevens
Liam Sutcliffe, Trumpet, Princeton Studio
David Grahm, Alto Sax, Deptford
2019
Bryana Crockett, Drums, Cherokee
Simon Hwang, Princeton Studio
Sidiq Huballa, Drums, Highland
2020
No State Finals were held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2021
The State Jazz Festival was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2022
Division I (largest school populations) *Includes magnet and private schools after 2018
Division II (moderate school populations)
Division III (smallest school populations)
Data is currently unavailable for the years 1999 - 2006
2007
Eric Neveloff - Alto Sax (West Orange)
Dave Pomerantz - Trumpet (Shawnee)
Sara VanderVeen - Alto Sax (Sparta)
2008
Joe Streater - Trumpet (Camden)
David Hardy - Drums (Northern Burlington)
Rob Tait - Drums (Shawnee)
2009
Unavailable at this time
2010
Dean Schweiger - Drums (Cherokee)
Brian Simontacchi - Trombone (Newark)
Melissa Srolovitz -Tenor (Seneca)
2011
Kristina O’Dea - Vibes (Cherokee)
Richard Thomas (Jackson)
Henry Ellis Drums (Newark)
2012
Arnetta Johnson - Trumpet (Camden)
Alex Anderson (Princeton)
Dan Ponti - Guitar (Overbrook)
2013
Zachary Prezant - Bass (Bridgewater)
Mark Stern (Princeton)
Nathan Rice (Newark)
2014
Justin Jones, JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble
Panayiotis Dimopoulos - Alto Sax, SPF Moonglowers
Coleman Hughes - Trombone, Newark Chameleon
2015
Richard Williams, Alto Sax, Camden
Alex Karakis, SPF Moonglowers
George Austin, Bass, NA Chameleon
2016
Carlton Harris, Flute/Sax, Camden
Joe Bell, Guitar, Princeton Studio Band
Matt Voltaire, Trumpet, Overbrook
2017
Jean Paolo Flores, Edison
Raphael Krause Palit, Sparta Blues Inc.
Alex Kerssen, Tenor Sax, West Milford
2018
Varun Das, Drums, John P. Stevens
Liam Sutcliffe, Trumpet, Princeton Studio
David Grahm, Alto Sax, Deptford
2019
Bryana Crockett, Drums, Cherokee
Simon Hwang, Princeton Studio
Sidiq Huballa, Drums, Highland
2020
No State Finals were held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2021
The State Jazz Festival was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2022