Allen Rippe, Assistant Professor of Saxophone, began his musical training at the Interlochen Arts Academy, continuing at Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford. He received the Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. His primary teachers were Jack Kripl and Donald Sinta.

Mr. Rippe joined the University of Memphis faculty in 1978, after completing two years in the Visiting Artist Program of North Carolina. He spent 1982-83 in Israel, performing with the Israel Philharmonic and the Jerusalem Symphony, and teaching for the Municipal Youth Band of Acre.

In 1987, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded Mr. Rippe funding in 1987 to commission William Russo to write Memphis: A Ballet for Alto Saxophone and Ten Instruments, which was premiered at the University of Memphis New Music Festival. In 2010 Rippe was a featured soloist at the XV World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, performing his commission of “Shades of Mediterranean” by Tolga Ozdemir.