May 22, 2009 - Lincoln Center

Associate Professor, Founder/Conductor of the International Honor's Wind Symphony, Abel Ramirez has been appointed Acting Director of Bands at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Music beginning in the fall of 2008. Ramirez holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Wind Conducting from UCLA where he studied with Professor Thomas Lee.

Associate Professor, Founder/Conductor of the International Honor's Wind Symphony, Abel Ramirez has been appointed Acting Director of Bands at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Music beginning in the fall of 2008. Ramirez holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Wind Conducting from UCLA where he studied with Professor Thomas Lee. Dr. Ramirez also earned an MME from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a BME from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Prior to accepting an invitation to begin graduate study at UCLA, Ramirez enjoyed a successful career as a Texas 5A high school band director. Each of the wind bands that he conducted were consistent U.I.L. Sweepstakes Award recipients and were frequently named "Best in Class" at numerous music festivals. His marching bands also qualified for the Texas 5A State Marching Band Competition every year that he served as the Director of Bands. As director of the Jazz Bands, his top ensemble was named Grand Champion at the St. Mary's University Jazz Band Festival where Ramirez also received the "Outstanding Jazz Band Director" award.

During his tenure as the Director of Wind Bands at California State University, Los Angeles, Ramirez served as the Head of the Conducting Division and Chair of the Instrumental Area. Ramirez also served on 6 departmental and university committee's each year. His academic responsibilities include teaching courses in Beginning to Advanced Conducting, History and Literature of the Wind Band, Orchestral Percussion Techniques, Instrumental Techniques, Music Education and Score Analysis. Dr Ramirez established one of the largest graduate conducting studios in the country averaging 5 to 6 graduate students yearly. During the fall and winter quarters of 2008, Ramirez added to his responsibilities by serving as the Interim-Director of Bands at the University of California, Irvine.

Throughout his appointment as a Teaching Assistant at UCLA from 2000-2004, Ramirez served as the principle graduate conductor for the UCLA Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, both of which he rehearsed and conducted during numerous concert performances. In 2003, Ramirez was appointed Interim-Director of Bands at California State University, Los Angeles. Since his arrival at CSULA, Dr. Ramirez raised the wind ensemble to a level of national prominence, receiving numerous invitations to perform at state and national conferences. Beginning in 2004, Dr. Ramirez conducted performances of the CSULA Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band at the annual Fresno State University Collegiate Wind Band Conference where his ensembles won the praise from many of our professions most reputable and respected senior conductors all of whom served as performance evaluators. In 2007, the CSULA Wind Ensemble was invited to perform as the featured wind ensemble during the FSU Wind Band Conference, as well as the California Music Educators Association/MENC Conference, which was held at the Ontario, California Convention Center. Most recently, the CSULA Wind Ensemble accepted an invitation to perform at the 2008 CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) Western/Northwestern Division Conference hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno.

Dr. Ramirez' musical expertise and conducting experience is diverse. He has served as a music-industry consultant, part-time teaching associate and instrumental music program advisor in Santa Monica and several other Los Angeles area school districts. He has also served on the advisory board for American Classic Music and Music America. Most recently, he was asked to serve on the board of advisors for the Institute for Latin American Music Study at Sam Houston State University which was created by Fred Velez III/Director of Bands. Ramirez is also a highly sought guest conductor and guest lecturer. Throughout his career, he has conducted numerous symphony orchestras, countless wind ensembles, chamber ensembles, 2 opera's and several musicals. Ramirez maintains an active schedule as a clinician and adjudicator for wind band, orchestra, marching, and jazz band festivals throughout the country. He recently made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut during a shared spot-light evening concert with the National Wind Symphony, H. Robert Reynolds, conductor. Shortly afterwards, Ramirez was appointed resident-guest-conductor for the International Honor's Wind Symphony, which he founded in a collaborative effort with Distinguished Concerts International New York. Dr. Ramirez will conduct the premiere performance of the International Honor's Wind Symphony at the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in May 2009.