Gustavo Castro-Ramirez

Gustavo Castro-Ramirez is a Vocal Coach and Accompanist at the University of Oregon's School of Music and Dance (SOMD). He serves as Instructor of Undergraduate Lyric Diction and Ballet Accompanist, with a career spanning over two decades in opera, vocal coaching, and collaborative piano.

• Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Texas at Austin (Opera Coaching)
• Master of Music, Florida State University (Piano Accompanying, Opera Production)
• Master of Music, University of Costa Rica (Piano Performance)
• Superior Diploma, National Conservatory of Strasbourg (Chamber Music)

His expertise lies in vocal coaching, operatic production, and collaborative piano performance. He co-founded Opera Nova Costa Rica, a summer training program for emerging opera singers, and contributes to art song repertoires by underrepresented composers through projects like Art Song Augmented. Research interests include cross-cultural operatic identity, lyric diction pedagogy, and ballet accompaniment techniques.

Castro's publications focus on operatic adaptations and cultural identity in performances like Bizet's Carmen. His collaborative work spans genres from classical to contemporary, with contributions to chamber opera production and vocal competitions.

Scientific Awards

• NOA Twenty-eighth Scholarly Papers Competition (2012)

In his teaching roles at institutions including the University of Idaho, University of Central Missouri, and University of Costa Rica, he has mentored students in vocal technique and operatic interpretation. He currently serves as a SOMD faculty member, adjudicator for National Opera Association competitions, and board member of the Kenyan Classical Singers Organization.

Castro's performance history includes over 50 operatic productions across the United States, Central America, and France, with a long-standing duet partnership with contralto Dr. Karen Esquivel since 1997. He also contributes to ballet pedagogy through accompaniment for dance departments at Lane Community College and the University of Oregon.