OUR COMPOSERS
Andrea Ramsey
Dr. Andrea Ramsey earned her PhD in music education at Michigan State University, where she was the recipient of a University Distinguished Fellowship. She also holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in music education from Arkansas Tech University and a Masters of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Kansas where she served as a graduate teaching assistant and the first female conductor of the KU Men's Glee Club– a traditional collegiate male chorus established in 1890. Additionally, she has also served as assistant director and continues to serve as composer-in-residence to the Allegro Community Children's Choir of the Kansas City metro area. In 2008, she toured with the choir to Austria and the Czech Republic, toured again with the choir to Italy in 2011.
A native Arkansan, Andrea has years of teaching experience– eight of which took place in the Bentonville Public School district in Northwest Arkansas where her Washington Junior High School choral program grew to include approximately 375 students in grades 7–8. The choirs were twice invited to perform for the Arkansas All-State Music Conference. As co–founder of the Bentonville Children's Choir, she spent three years directing the organization's touring choir, Cantus.
A regularly commissioned composer, her works are published with Boosey& Hawkes, Hal Leonard, Colla Voce, Alliance, Santa Barbara, Pavane, Choristers Guild and BriLee Music and vary in style and accessibility. Her catalog includes works ranging from those appropriate for beginning children's choruses to advanced collegiate ensembles. Andrea is also a 2009 ASCAP award winner, and enjoys work as a presenter and clinician for children's, middle level, high school or collegiate choirs.