Degrees: DMA, 2003, Univ Minnesota Minneapolis; MM, 2003, Univ Minnesota Minneapolis; MA, 1998, Free Brussels University; CAS, 1998, Royal Conservatory Music; BA, 1996, Royal Conservatory Music

Bio:

Dr. Ramael is Director of Orchestral Activities at Hofstra University on Long Island. At Hofstra, he conducts the Hofstra Symphony Orchestra, the Hofstra String Orchestra, the annual opera production, and he teaches orchestral conducting at the graduate level. In his short tenure at Hofstra, he has led the HSO to high artistic levels, expanding the ensemble's repertoire and doubling the number of concert appearances. He has also led acclaimed productions of Bizet's Carmen and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the Hofstra Opera. Dr. Ramael is in high demand as a guest conductor and clinician in the tri-state area. In recent years, he has appeared with the Long Island Chamber Virtuosi, the Massapequa Philharmonic, the Suffolk County All-County Orchestra, the Easton District Festival Orchestra, and with the Gettysburg College-Community Orchestra at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music. For the 2007 season, Dr. Ramael will be guest conducting the University of Dayton Symphony Orchestra, the Division 4 Nassau All-county Orchestra and the Suffolk County MEA Division 3 East Festival Orchestra.

Dr. Ramael began his musical studies in his native Belgium. He studied trumpet and music theory at the Royal Brussels Conservatory, as well as musicology at the Free Brussels University. In 1996, he was awarded the Erasmus Fellowship for study abroad in the European Union, which he spent at the University of Vienna. He obtained a Master's degree in Musicology at the Free University Brussels, as well as degrees from the Royal Brussels Conservatory in solfège, harmony, counterpoint and music management.

In 1998, he was awarded the prestigious Belgian American Education Foundation Fellowship for study in the United States. He chose the University of Minnesota to pursue a doctorate in musicology, while also developing his skills as a conductor. At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Ramael obtained in quick succession the Master in Music and Doctor in Musical Arts degrees in conducting.

Upon graduating from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Ramael worked as a freelance conductor in the greater Twin Cities area. He served as the conductor of the Concertino Northeast with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, and as Music Director of the Golden Valley Orchestra, the Lake Waconia Wind Ensemble and Twin Cities Chamber Orchestra.

Education

• Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting
  University of Minnesota, 2003
• Master of Music in Conducting
  University of Minnesota, 2002
• Master of Arts in Musicology
  Free Brussels University, Brussels, Belgium, 1998
• Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory
  Royal Brussels Conservatory of Music, Brussels, Belgium, 1996
  

Awards and Fellowships

• University of Minnesota International Student Award, 2002 – 03
• Belgian American Education Foundation Fellow
  Fellowship award for study in the United States of America, 1998 – 99
• ERASMUS Award
  Grant award for study exchange in the European Union Universität Wien, Vienna,
  Austria, 1996 – 97
  

Orchestral Affiliations (long term)

• Hofstra University, Long Island, NY (2004 – present) – Director of Orchestral Activities
  • Music Director - Hofstra Symphony Orchestra
  • Music Director – Hofstra Opera
  • Professor – Orchestral Conducting, graduate level
• Golden Valley Orchestra, Golden Valley, MN (2003 – 04) – Music Director
• Roseville Chamber Orchestra, Roseville, MN (2003 – 04) – Music Director
• Lake Waconia Wind Ensemble, Lake Waconia, MN (2003 – 04) – Music Director
• Concertino Northeast, Greater Twin Cities Youth Orchestras (2003 – 04) – Conductor

Orchestral Affiliations (guest appearances)

• Suffolk County MEA Division 3 East Festival Orchestra, Long Island, NY (March '08)
• University of Dayton Symphony Orchestra, Dayton, OH (February '08)
• Nassau County All-county Orchestra (grade 5), Long Island, NY (January ‘08)
• Massapequa Philharmonic, Long Island, NY (January '07)
• Easton District Festival Orchestra, Easton, PA (January '07)
• Suffolk County All-county Orchestra (NYSCAME), Long Island, NY (November '06)
• Sunderman Conservatory Orchestra, Gettysburg, PA (November '06)
• Long Island Chamber Virtuosi, Long Island, NY (September '06)
• Linden Hills Community Orchestra, Minneapolis, MN (November '03)
• University of Minnesota Campus Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis, MN (April '03)
• University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Minneapolis, MN (March '03)
• University of Minnesota Symphonic Band, Minneapolis, MN (November '02)
• University of Minnesota Contemporary Ensemble, (October '02)

Primary Conducting Studies

• Craig Kirchhoff and Akira Mori, University of Minnesota, 2001 – 03
• Lukas Vis, Royal Brussels Conservatory, 1997 – 98
  

Additional Conducting Studies

• Workshops with Frederick Fennell, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Kreines, Frank Battisti, Bastiaan Blomhert, Warren Benson, Stanley DeRusha and Michael Haithcock
  

Teaching Experience

• Hofstra University, Long Island, NY (2004 – present)
  • Orchestral Conducting, graduate level
  • Orchestral Literature
  • Aural Training
  • Music History, Late Baroque – Late Romanticism
  • Music Appreciation
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (1999 – 2003)
  • Fundamentals of Music, instructor
  • Music Theory, graduate assistant
  • Music History, graduate assistant
  • Music Appreciation, graduate assistant
    

Professional Associations

• College Orchestra Directors Association
• Conductors Guild
• League of American Orchestras
• World Federation of Amateur Orchestras