Del Mar College’s Department of Music announces the addition of Dr. Abel Saldivar Ramirez, assistant professor of music and conductor of the DMC Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, to their faculty. He began teaching this fall semester.

Dr. Ramirez’ musical knowledge, teaching experience and artistic conducting expertise is diverse. He has conducted countless wind ensembles and symphony orchestras, operas and numerous musicals. Dr. Ramirez also maintains a highly active schedule as a consultant, clinician and adjudicator for wind ensembles, marching and jazz bands and orchestras from across the United States and abroad. 

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be a part of such a distinguished music faculty,” says Dr. Ramirez. “Many of the faculty were my teachers back in the early eighties, and it’s exciting to have an opportunity to continue learning from them as well as my new colleagues. This is an exciting time to be a student in our music department.” 

Prior to joining Del Mar College’s faculty, Dr. Ramirez taught as an associate professor of music in the University of Illinois School of Music, which maintains the world’s oldest and largest band program. While with the university, he served as acting director and assistant director of bands.

From 2003 to 2008, Dr. Ramirez served as director of bands, head of the conducting division and chair of the instrumental area at California State University, Los Angeles, where he raised the wind ensemble to a level of national prominence and received numerous invitations to perform at state and national conferences.

From 1993 to 2000, he also maintained a highly successful career as a Texas 5A high school music educator.  

Among his own professional achievements, Dr. Ramirez made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut in May 2007. Shortly afterwards, he was appointed resident guest conductor for the International Honors Wind Symphony, which he founded as part of a collaborative effort with Distinguished Concerts International New York. In conjunction with the Lincoln Center’s 50th anniversary celebration, Dr. Ramirez conducted a performance of the International Honors Wind Symphony at the Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in May 2009. He also served as the guest conductor for the 4A Texas All-State Band in February 2011. 

Dr. Ramirez graduated from Gregory-Portland High School and attended Del Mar College in the early 1980s before transferring to the University of Texas at San Antonio to earn his bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He completed his masters degree in Music Education from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles.