RONALD A. FOSTER P.O. BOX 322 PARK STATION PATERSON, N.J. 07543-0322 (973)278-5439 E-MAIL RONFO1@JUNO.COM FAX: (973)569-3533 PROFESSION: MUSICIAN/TEACHER BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE: 1963 - "ON THE JOB", " ON THE ROAD " TRAINING WITH VARIOUS SECULAR AND GOSPEL MUSICAL GROUPS. DIRECTOR & ORGANIST FOR SEVERAL CHURCH CHOIRS IN THE NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK AREAS. 1965 - MUSIC SPECIALIST WITH NEWARK DAYCARE 100 PROGRAM 2 YEARS. 1967 - TEACHER/PERFORMER WITH VARIOUS MUSICAL GROUPS IN METROPOLIAN AREA 1972 - 1975 TOURED WITH MUSICAL GROUP 'ECSTASY, PASSION & PAIN" AS KEYBOARDIST/SINGER. PERFORMED AND TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE U.S.A. AND ABROAD (SOUTH AFRICA, LONDON) WITH THIS GROUP BEHIND SEVERAL TOP 10 BILLBOARD ACKNOWLEDGED HIT RECORDS SUCH AS 'GOOD THINGS DON'T LAST FOREVER", "I WOULDN'T GIVE YOU UP" "ASK ME" AND MANY OTHERS. APPEARED ON TELEVISION & RADIO SHOWS (MIKE DOUGLAS, DON CORNELIUS SOUL TRAIN, AND THE GEORGE WOODS DANCE SHOW OUT OF PHILADELPHIA). ALSO DID ACCUMULATIVE CONCERTS ON THE STAGE WITH EARTH, WIND & FIRE, KOOL & THE GANG, TINA TURNER, DRIFTERS, O-JAYS, STYLISTICS, BLUE MAGIC, HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES, LABELLE AND MANY OTHER TOP 10 GROUPS IN THE 1970S. I WAS ALSO SIGNED AS WRITER/PRODUCER/RECORDING ARTIST/ARRANGER WITH ROULETTE RECORDS (HOME LABEL OF ARTISTS SUCH AS COUNT BASIE, BETTY CARTER AND THE OLDER DOO-WOP GROUPS SUCH AS FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEEN-AGERS). 1985 - MUSIC SPECIALIST NORTHSIDE DAYCARE PATERSON, NJ MINISTER OF MUSIC NORTHSIDE COMMUNITY CHAPEL PATERSON, NJ MINISTER OF CHURCH EDUCATION, YOUTH DIRECTOR, CHOIR DIRECTOR & ORGANIST AT NORTHSIDE CHAPEL DURING THIS TIME ALSO. 1991 - TAUGHT K-8TH GRADES IN PAROCHIAL & PUBLIC SCHOOLS 6 YEARS (MUSIC) N.J. STATE CERTIFIED. 1998 - PRESENTLY, MINISTER OF MUSIC/WORSHIP LEADER AT MADISON AVE. CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH, PATERSON, NJ. ALSO CONDUCT A GOSPEL/JAZZ ENSEMBLE THAT EMPLOYS MUSICIANS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY (COMPRISED OF PROFESSIONAL & COLLEGE MUSICIANS) ALL ARRANGEMENTS ARE ORCHESTRATED AND WRITTEN IN SOME INSTANCES BY RON FOSTER 1999-APPEARED WITH MEL HOLDER (GOSPEL SAXOPHONIST) OKINAWA JAPAN EDUCATION: 1959 -HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PATERSON CENTRAL HIGH 1960 - CERTIFICATE FROM RADIOMEN "A" SCHOOL (COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS) LICENSED IN RADIO MORSE CODE FROM THE U.S. NAVY BAINBRIDGE MARYLAND. SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY 4 YEARS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH E-5 RANKING. 1985 - KEAN COLLEGE, 6 MONTHS COURSE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EARNING 4 CREDITS. 1986 - B.M. DEGREE (MUSIC EDUCATION) DISTANCE ED. 1991- A.A.S. DEGREE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PASSAIC COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PATERSON NJ 1992 -M.M.T. (MUSIC THERAPY) DISTANCE ED. CURRENTLY WORKING ON P.H.D. (MUSIC EDUCATION) 1999 - COMPLETED COURSE AT REGENCY UNIVERSITY VIRGINIA BEACH CERTIFIED WITH CERTIFICATES FOR WORSHIP & PRAISE. ACTIVITIES 1990 MEMBER OF NEWMAN CLUB AT PASSAIC COUNTY COLLEGE (CHRISTIAN CLUB) OPERATING MY OWN BUSINESS "RONFO MUSIC & ART". RECORDING AND PRODUCING MY OWN RECORDINGS AND ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER LOCAL MUSICAL GROUPS. PERFORM WITH GOSPEL/JAZZ ENSEMBLE (SOLO OR UP TO 15 PIECE ORCHESTRA). MEMBER OF THE EOF COMMITTEE AT RAMAPO COLLEGE 1999 TO PRESENT DJ WITH RADIO STATION WPSC 88.7FM WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY, SHOW IS CALLED 'RONFO' GOSPEL/JAZZ MORNING SHOW 6AM-9AM TUESDAY MORNINGS. CONDUCTED, ARRANGED & TRANSCRIBED MUSIC FOR THE R& B CLASSICS 70's HOT SUMMER JAM 2002, HELD AT THE WANG CENTER THEATER IN BOSTON MASS. 24 PC. ORCHESTRA BEHIND ISAAC HAYES, DELFONICS, MAIN INGREDIENT, TAVARES, McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD. Other groups performing were RAY, GOODMAN & BROWN, BLACK IVORY, MANHATTANS, WINSTONS, SOUL GENERATION, SKIP MAHONY & THE CASUALS, EDDIE HOLMAN. HONORS: DEAN'S LIST PASSAIC COUNTY COLLEGE WITH GPA 4.0. MEMBER OF PHI THETA KAPPA HONOR FRATERNITY. LISTED IN MARQUIS "WHO'S WHO IN RELIGION" 3RD EDITION. GRAND PRIZE WINNER INSTRUMENTALIST CATEGORY "GATEWAY TALENT SEARCH 1981. CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT & MERIT FROM AMERICAN SONGWRITER'S FESTIVAL& HOLLYWOOD SONG JUBILEE. RECEIVED AWARD FOR BEST SONG SCORE FROM METRO MUSIC MINISTRIES PATERSON, NJ. WINNER OF "NEW MUSIC SEARCH" BROADCAST ON 970DJ WWDJ RADIO STATION HACKENSACK, NJ. INSTRUMENTALIST WINNER WITH LEUKEMIA SOCIETY COMPETITION. PUBLISHED SONGWRITER BMI AFFILIATED WITH SONGS IN THE HYMNAL "SONGS OF ZION CAREER OBJECTIVE TO FURTHER STUDIES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, GERIATRICS & MUSIC THERAPY. ALSO WANT TO DEVELOP GOSPEL/JAZZ ORCHESTRA TO THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL MINISTRY LEVEL SO WE CAN MINISTER TO VARIOUS CHURCH, INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS WITH THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF SKILL & TALENT I CAN FIND. REFERENCES: PROFESSOR ELAINE HARRINGTON (PASSAIC COUNTY COLLEGE ENGLISH & MATH DEPT.) REV. STAN VANDER KLAY (FORMER PASTOR OF NORTHSIDE COMMUNITY CHAPEL PATERSON, NJ) MARY BALL (INSTRUCTOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PASSAIC COUNTY COLLEGE) REV. CHARLES ANCRUM (PASTOR GENESIS COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH NEW YORK) REV. JOHN ALGERA (PASTOR MADISON AVE. CRC PATERSON, NJ) THIS IS A COMPILATION CD WITH VARIOUS SOLO ARTISTS BACKED UP BY CHOIRS "THE GARDEN STATE CHOIR NEW JERSEY CHAPTER' & "ALL GOD'S CHILDREN" (COMMUNITY SINGING CHOIR) BOTH FROM NEW JERSEY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. NOW DECEASED REV. BARNEY ELAM LEADS ON THE VERY POPULAR "COME INTO THIS PLACE OH LORD", REV. KENTON ROGERS LEADS ON "SO GOOD TO KNOW HIM", RON FOSTER LEADS ON "CHILD OF THE KING" & TRIBUTE FOR 1ST TIME SONGWRITER MRS. HARRIETT BRADLEY (FROM RIDGEWOOD NEW JERSEY) PENNED "GOD IS THE ANSWER", GENE THOMAS (OF RIDGEWOOD NEW JERSY) LEADS ON HIS COMPOSITION "WON'T IT BE GRAND", RON FOSTER LEADS ON HIS COMPOSITION "HOW LONG", REV. GEORGE HANSARD LEADS ON THE COMPOSITION "I'M COMING HOME" (MUSIC BY KEVIN FOSTER AND WORDS BY RON FOSTER), NIETA ELLEN YOUNG (OF PASSAIC NEW JERSEY)SINGS THE VERY POPULAR "PRECIOUS LORD TAKE MY HAND". THIS CD IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY MOTHER MRS. ETHEL A. FOSTER WHO WENT ON TO GLORY RECENTLY. HER SPIRIT IS ALL WRAPPED UP IN THIS PROJECT AND ONE OF THE GREATEST LESSONS SHE TAUGHT ME AND THE REST OF HER CHILDREN (AND FRIENDS) WAS TO BE KIND TO EVERYONE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH AND SHARE AS MUCH LOVE AS WE CAN TO ONE ANOTHER WHILE WE'RE HERE "AMONG THE LIVING" GIVE THOSE FLOWERS WHILE WE ARE HERE (WHICH WILL BE THE NAME OF MY NEXT SOLO PROJECT REGARDING RECORDING). ALL THE ABOVE ARTISTS (WITH EXCEPTION OF REV. BARNEY ELAM) ARE RECORDING THEIR OWN PROJECTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND LINKS TO THEM CAN BE FOUND THROUGH RON FOSTER AT ABOVE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS. IN HIS SERVICE RON FOSTER (RONFO)