Edmundo Ramirez is a versatile violist known for his exceptional performances across a wide range of musical genres and projects. He has graced esteemed venues worldwide, including Alice Tully and Carnegie Hall in New York City, Bellas Artes in Mexico, the Konzerthaus in Berlin and Vienna, Parco de la Musica in Italy, The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the National Theater of Costa Rica, and Suntory Hall in Japan.
As a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician, Edmundo has collaborated with renowned ensembles such as the Absolute Ensemble, the Ensemble InterContemporain, Fine Arts String Quartet, the Bremen KammerPhilharmonie, the Menninger Hofkapelle Orchestra, Voronezh Philharmonie in Russia, Orchestra of the Americas, and the National Symphony of Costa Rica. He has had the privilege of working alongside esteemed pianists Saleem Adbud-Askar and Mikhail Muntyan, conductors Kent Nagano and Kristjan Jaervi, and composer Pierre Boulez, notably performing “Le Marteau Sans Maitre” at Carnegie Hall under Boulez’s baton.
Edmundo’s extensive festival appearances include notable events such as the Aix-en Provence and Menton Festival in France, Bolzano, Torino, and Siena in Italy, the Bremen, Hamburg, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, and Young Euro-Classics Berlin Festivals in Germany, and the Rebecco Summer Series at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Furthermore, he has made significant contributions to festivals in Latin America and the United States.
Recognized as a passionate advocate for contemporary music, Edmundo has premiered works by esteemed composers such as Carlos Castro,(Grammy winner), David Robert Coleman, and Gene Pristker. His dedication to Latin-American music extends to his efforts in reviving and performing compositions for viola by Centro-American and Mexican composers. Notably, he spearheaded the revival of the viola concerto by Costa Rican composer Benjamin Gutierrez, performing it with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica and other European orchestras. Edmundo has also showcased his mastery of the viola through performances of Armando La Valle’s concerto for viola and string orchestra with the Orchestra of the Americas in Mexico.
As part of Edmundo’s research in Latin-American music, he revived and performed compositions for viola by Centro-American and Mexican composers. He initiated the revival of the viola concerto by Costa Rican composer Benjamin Gutierrez, performing the concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica and other orchestras in Europe. With the Orchestra of the Americas, (former Youth Orchestra of the Americas), he performed in Mexico the Concerto for viola and string orchestra by Composer Armando La Valle from Veracruz, (a disciple of Silvestre Revueltas).
In New York City, Edmundo actively promotes and curates concerts featuring works by Costa Rican composers, including compositions by Costa Rican women composers such as Susan Campos Fonseca, Rocio Saenz and a younger generation Central American Composers. He has premiered several works for viola and piano by composers Alejandro Cardona and Luis Monge, as well as compositions by Carlos Castro, including “Serenate de la Luna” the double concerto for violin, viola, and orchestra, “Los enamorados,” and “Kerwa” for solo viola.
Driven by his curiosity and desire to explore diverse musical styles and instruments, Edmundo’s talents extend beyond the viola. He is also proficient in playing the viola d’amore, Baroque violin and viola, and the Indian Sitar. Notably, he commissioned and performed a multi-instrumental concerto by New York Composer Gene Pristker, seamlessly alternating between the sitar, viola d’amore, and jazz violin.
Along his journey of multi-instrumental and multi-stylistic explorations, Edmundo Ramirez has established several ensembles and projects to experiment and perform. One notable ensemble is Ensamble America, based in New York City, which he created while studying at the Juilliard School. Ensamble America is a string orchestra that passionately promotes both the Latin American and standard classical music repertoire.Additionally, Edmundo founded “Veracruz Chanterelle,” a Baroque Chamber Orchestra located in Veracruz, Mexico. This ensemble specialized in performing Baroque music from Mexico as well as the standard repertoire, showcasing the richness of Baroque music of the region.
Furthermore, Edmundo is a member of The Bleecker String Quartet, known for their captivating performances and interpretations. The quartet exhibits a deep commitment to the exploration and presentation of chamber music repertoire.
In a recent collaboration, Edmundo, together with Manny Oquendo (also known as MegmanMusic), created SoundArt.NYC. This innovative electro-acoustic ensemble combines acoustic instruments with music technology platforms, vintage synthesizers, and modern hardware synthesizers to perform new and cutting-edge music.
During the pandemic, Edmundo and Costa Rican violist Randall Rodriguez embarked on a remarkable initiative by establishing Viola.Academy, an open community platform aimed at supporting, inspiring, and motivating viola students from Costa Rica. The platform soon expanded its reach to include other Latin American countries in Central America, Mexico, and South America. Viola.Academy offers virtual live interviews and free masterclasses, featuring renowned viola teachers, pedagogues, baroque violists, chamber musicians, and principal and section players from orchestras around the world.
Since its inception in September 2020, Viola.Academy has been hosting weekly sessions every Saturday, conducted in both English and Spanish. This ongoing endeavor has resulted in the creation of a unique archive, serving as a valuable resource that bridges the gap between viola performance and pedagogical traditions from the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Moreover, the Viola.Academy community facilitates global interactions among musicians, fostering a vibrant and collaborative environment at an international level.
Edmundo studied viola in Costa Rica at the Municipal School of Music in Santo Domingo de Heredia, the University of Costa Rica and Programa Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil with Miguel Arango, William Schuck and Jose Aurelio Castillo. In the United States he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, The Juilliard School, and in Europe in France, Germany and at the Academia Chigiana in Italy. His teachers include Yuri Bashmet, Heidi Castleman, Victoria Chiang, Walter Trampler and Karen Tuttle. Other work with Lawrence Dutton from the Emerson String Quartet, Tabea Zimmerman, Christophe Desjardins and Garth Knox. Recordings are available on the Sony, Enya, Naxos and Arco labels.