Colombia

“Gonzalez Reeds are synonymous with the work as a path to virtue in terms of knowledge of the artist for whom they are intended. They are the way to the expression of the ineffable of the clarinetist”.

Andrés Ramirez Villarraga started his clarinet studies with the master Orlando Rodríguez Segura and, later, he continued at the Conservatory from the National University of Colombia with the master Robert De Gennaro. In 1999 he graduated with honors, and that allowed him to won the award for the Best Thesis Work from his Art Faculty of his promo.

With a scholarship given by the Minister of Culture, he started his postgraduate studies at the Indiana University with the master Howard Klug and, later, he continued in Switzerland with the master François Benda obtaining, in 2005, three Master’s degree: Clarinet Perfectioning, Clarinet Pedagogy and Elementary Music Education.

At the same time of his studies in Lugano, he specialized in Free Improvisation with the master Walter Faendrich at the Musikhochschule from Basel. He got his Doctor’s degree from RUDECOLOMBIA in Education Science, with honorary mention, in 2021.

He has been a member of the Symphonic Band from Santa Fe de Bogotá, the National Symphonic Band, a supernumerary musician of the Philharmonic Orchestra from Bogotá, a member of the Italian Swiss Chamber Orchestra and a Clarinet Professor at the Musikschule Romanshorn. From 2006 he has been a Clarinet Professor at Cauca University, Clarinet Yamaha Artist, Gonzalez Reeds Artist (Argentina) and BG Artist (France).