Double Bass, Honduras

We never imagined the high level of talent and musicality that Central America had to offer until we saw your performance,” said John Hood from the Peabody Conservatory of Music when he saw Mr. Ramirez performing Koussevitzky’s Concerto op. 3.

Ramirez is the recipient of many honors and awards, including the 2008 Natchitoches-Northwestern Concerto Competition winner with Proto’s Carmen Fantasy.

As a chamber musician Mr. Ramirez has collaborated with colleagues who also share a love for concertante works, especially those of Karl Dittersdorf and Giovanni Bottesini. These colleagues included Mario Gabriel Funes, Paul Christopher, Malena McLaren, Mario Torres, Oscar Rossignoli, and John Madere.

Mr. Ramirez is Adjunct Instructor of Double Bass at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He is an active recruiter and has served as a presenter for the Lousiana Music Teachers Association performing lecture recitals of double bass literature at the 2007 and 2008 annual conventions.

A native of Honduras, Mr. Ramirez began double bass studies at the age of 16 at the Victoriano Lopez Music School. There he received invaluable instrumental instruction from Maestro Ernesto G. Rodriguez. In 2002 Mr. Ramirez traveled to Costa Rica to study with Maestro Carlos Vives from the Costa Rican National Symphony as well as Professor Klaus Stoll from the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2003 Mr. Ramirez was given the opportunity to continue his double bass studies on a full scholarship at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where he graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music under the instruction of Yung-Chiao Wei. The following year Mr. Ramirez continued his studies at Northwestern State University and earned the Master of Music degree in Double Bass.

Mr. Ramirez serves as Principal Bassist of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and also performs in the Rapides Symphony, Mobile Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, and Texarkana Symphony.