Graduate Teaching Assistants

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Joseph grew up in Mesa, Arizona, where he received his Bachelor's in Secondary Music Education from Ottawa University, and his Master's in Wind Band Conducting at Arizona State University under the tutelage of Jason Caslor and Jamal Duncan. Joseph is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Miami in the Frost School of Music studying with Dr. Robert Carnochan. Joseph has six years of secondary-level music education and two years of college teaching experience serving as the Tuba and Euphonium instructor at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. In his desire to support the excellence of marching education in Arizona, Joseph served on the board of Winterguard Arizona (WGAZ) and sat on adjudication panels for both WGAZ and Arizona Marching Band Association (AzMBA).

Andrew Keiser is currently pursuing his D.M.A. at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, studying conducting with Dr. Robert Carnochan. Prior to doctor studies, he received a Master's degree in wind conducting from the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, Georgia, where he studied with Dr. Jamie L. Nix. Before greaduate studies, Keiser taught at Angola High School in Indiana, where he directed all elements of the band program (a consistent recipient of the ISSMA All-Music Award). 

Keiser received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University, where he arranged music and served as Trumpet Section Leader for the Spartan Marching Band.  Keiser continues to arrange music and write drill for high school marching bands, and he often judges drum major captions at marching band shows.  He has been a conductor for the Indiana Bandmasters Association All-Region Honor Bands.  He has served on the ISSMA Marching Band Committee and the IBA State Board, and is an Assistant Director for the Crossroads Drum Major & Leadership Clinic.

A native of Miami, FL, David Ramos is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Wind Conducting from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the Frost Band Department. Previously, Ramos served as the Director of Bands at Bradford High School in Starke, FL.

Recently, Ramos was selected as a Conducting Fellow for the 2025 Midwest Reynolds Conducting Institute. He has conducted several professional ensembles—including the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own," the United States Air Force Band, and the Upper Austria Military Band—in rehearsal and performance as part of competitive conducting programs and workshops. In 2024, Ramos was selected as a semifinalist for the Frederick Fennell International Conducting Competition in Modica, Italy. Ramos has presented independent research nationally and internationally on topics such as the wind music of Cuban composers and diverse programming for high school bands. Additionally, he has several publications with the Florida Music Director, the official publication of the Florida Music Education Association.

Ramos received his Master of Music in Wind Conducting from the University of Miami, and Bachelor of Music Education degree, with a specialization in Special Music Education, from Florida State University. His primary conducting teachers and mentors are Dr. Michael Hancock, Dr. Robert Carnochan, Gary Green, and Richard Clary.