Dr. Rico Allen is a Grammy-nominated recording artist and educator based in Dallas, TX. Through his passion for music education, he aims to foster the next generation of young musicians. As an active performer, Rico has performed at various venues across the United States and Europe. In 2014, Rico traveled to New York City and performed at Carnegie Hall with the Tarleton State University Wind Symphony. In 2016, Rico toured Italy with the Tarleton State University Jazz Ensemble, where they gave several performances across the country. In 2017, Rico was the baritone saxophone soloist for David Maslanka’s Hell’s Gate. Rico was selected to perform with both the World Adult Wind Orchestra Project and World Youth Wind Orchestra Project in Schladming, Austria, from 2018-2026, where he has served as principal soprano/alto saxophone. Rico was the baritone saxophone soloist for the European premiere of Frank Ticheli’s Acadiana. In 2023, Rico was selected along with the UNT Saxophone Ensemble to perform at the XIX World Saxophone Congress in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
Rico is an alumnus of Tarleton State University (BME) and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MM). Rico earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Performance with a related field in Wind Conducting from the University of North Texas College of Music. As an advocate for diversity, his dissertation, Total Praise: An Analysis and Performance Guide of Come As You Are (2020) by Steven Banks, and ongoing research center on broadening the horizons of saxophone repertoire by championing works from underrepresented communities, thus cultivating a diverse and inclusive musical landscape. Rico appears as the soprano saxophone soloist on Michael Daughtery’s American Gothic and Paul Dooley’s Manifestos on the 2023 North Texas Wind Symphony albums Respair and Closure. Moreover, Rico can be heard on Aaron Lazar’s Impossible Dream album, which was nominated at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.”
As an advocate for chamber music, Rico co-founded the saxophone quartet Lotus, where he currently holds the soprano saxophone chair. As a group, Lotus advocates for diversity. Lotus makes a point to perform works by underrepresented composers each concert and competition cycle. In 2022, Lotus was selected to perform a recital and participate in a masterclass with Dr. Timothy McAllister at the 43rd annual International Saxophone Symposium, hosted by the United States Navy Band. Recently, Lotus has been asked to perform Viet Cuong’s Second Nature with the world-acclaimed North Texas Wind Symphony for their 2023-2024 concert season.
A strong proponent of music education, Rico currently runs a private saxophone studio where he teaches classical and jazz students of all ages across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Rico currently serves as Assistant Professor of Saxophone/Jazz Studies at Tarleton State University, teaching applied saxophone and chamber music, and directing Jazz Ensemble II. He also serves as Adjunct Instructor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he teaches General Music courses such as Jazz Appreciation, What’s Hot in Popular Music, and Hip Hop History and Culture. Previously, Rico has taught at both the University of North Texas College of Music and the University of Texas at Tyler School of Performing Arts.
Rico has studied under Claude Parker, Greg Ball, Dr. Andrew Stonerock, Dr. James Bunte, Rick Vanmatre, Craig Bailey, and Dr. Eric Nestler. Rico’s professional affiliations are Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, North American Saxophone Alliance, Jazz Educators Network, and the Texas Music Educators Association. He performs proudly and exclusively as an endorsing artist for Yamaha saxophones.