Artist Spotlight - Kyle Ramey
HarmoNNY is thrilled to share our December Artist Spotlight, Kyle Ramey, who is an extremely talented pianist, organist, and conductor. He founded the Trinity Concert Series and is an avid supporter of the arts in our community.
Kyle is originally from a small town in Virginia. He began playing piano at the age of seven studying with a professor from Shenandoah University. When Kyle was around 12, he became interested in playing the organ after he went to a church service and heard it being played. Following the service, Kyle sat at the organ and began plunking out notes. The organist at the church mentioned to Kyle that he shouldn’t be doing that, but Kyle viewed this as his invitation to continue playing and it is a good thing Kyle didn’t listen. Kyle went on to study music at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and has worked at eight different churches across the United States in his career.
Mr. Ramey moved to the North Country in 2006, when he took a job at Trinity Church in Watertown, NY as their music director. He provides music for all the liturgical services, directs both the Chancel and Handbell Choirs and established and now runs the Trinity Concert Series.
Shortly after Kyle arrived at Trinity, Kyle initiated the Trinity Concert Series which features musical acts from around the world. The concert series is now in their fourteenth season and has hosted approximately 106 acts over the past fifteen years. This December you will be able to catch two holiday concerts at Trinity including a ‘Backtrack Vocals Christmas’ on 12/12 and ‘Chris Hyde-Hall and Kyle Ramey: Christmas Music for Piano Four Hands' on 12/18. The mission of the concert series is to benefit and enrich our local community. Visit HarmoNNY’s event page to find out more about additional concerts.
One of Kyle’s favorite concerts that Trinity hosted was their 100th celebration, which featured the Sackets Harbor Vocal Arts and Orchestra performing Handal’s “Messiah” which Kyle had the privilege of conducting. Along with his work at Trinity, Kyle also conducts two local choirs including the semi-professional acapella group, Watertown Musica Viva, as well as the The Sackets Harbor Vocal Arts Ensemble.
Kyle was also instrumental in obtaining a beautiful Steinway grand piano for Trinity Church. A week before the COVID-19 shut down in 2020, Kyle received a call from Artist Pianos in Syracuse, NY inquiring if Trinity would be interested in receiving a quote on a grand piano. Trinity Church now houses the impressive instrument and has been used for many community events including the Trinity Concert Series, two of HarmoNNY’s Quarter Notes events, a college audition, and more. Kyle shared that his hope is that this piano benefits the entire Watertown community.
To find out more about Kyle, check out the links below and watch his interview with HarmoNNY’s Board President, Joseph Foy.
Trinity Concert Series’ Website
