J. Ric Alviso

J. Ric Alviso is a Professor of Music at the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, 2002), an M.A. from UCLA (1993), and a B.A. from California State University, Long Beach (1982).

• Education
  • Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology (2002), UCLA
  • M.A. (1993), UCLA
  • B.A. (1982), California State University, Long Beach

As an ethnomusicologist, Alviso has conducted fieldwork in Zimbabwe, Senegal, Ghana, Tuva, Japan, Mexico, and the Southwest United States. His research spans multicultural music traditions, including African mbira and kora, Indonesian gamelan, Albanian folk music, and Latin American/Caribbean styles. He has performed as a pianist with the Santa Monica Symphony and as a percussionist with the Santa Monica Emeritus Concert Band.

Alviso is the founder and director of the Masanga Marimba Ensemble, the only Zimbabwean-style marimba ensemble in Southern California. He teaches courses such as MUS 307: Music from a Global Perspective and MUS 309: Traditional Musics of the US, focusing on global musical heritage and cross-cultural analysis.

Contact information includes his office location CY 234 and email jesus.alviso@csun.edu.