Eliseo Rael is part of the Duquesne University Percussion faculty where he teaches applied percussion lessons to percussion majors. He also directed the Percussion Ensembles at Duquesne University for several years. He earned his Master of Music from New England Conservatory and his Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas, having studied with Will Hudgins (Boston Symphony), Kalman Cherry (Dallas Symphony), Leigh Howard Stevens (marimba artist), She-e Wu (marimba artist), and Dr. Robert Schietroma. He most recently earned his Artist Diploma from Duquesne University where he studied with Andrew Reamer (Pittsburgh Symphony) and Chris Allen (Pittsburgh Symphony).
Eliseo was also a member of the USB Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. He was chosen for this orchestra in an international audition that included thirty-two countries, and over a thousand applicants. As a member he performed in the Verbier Music Festival, the Swiss Expo, and the World Economic Summit. In addition he played in some of the world's finest halls while on a 30 day European tour under the Baton of Music Director James Levine and gust conductor Mstislav Rostrapovich. He has performed with Chick Corea, and played under the direction of Kurt Massur, Rafael Frubeck de Burgos, Pavo Jarvi, Leonard Slatkin, Manfred Honeck, Erich Kunzel, Gunther Schuller, Marvin Hamlisch, Bobby McFerrin, and Eugene Corporone among others.
Eliseo taught privately in the Dallas area for two years before moving to Pittsburgh. His students have won numerous competitions and scholarship awards including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Modern Snare Drum Competition, the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra 2009 Young Artists Competition, Blackwood Theater Organ Society Scholarship competition, and Wheeling Symphony "Rachael Worby Scholarship" competition among others. His students have been members of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, Three Rivers Youth Symphony, South Hills Jr. Orchestra, Dallas all-region band, Texas All-Area band, Texas All-State band, Ohio All-State Band, Ohio All-State Orchestra, Pennsylvania All-State band, Pittsburgh Honor Band, Pittsburgh Honor Orchestra, Pittsburgh District band, Pittsburgh All region Band, and have been winners of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artist Competition.
His students have also been accepted to New England Conservatory, The Juilliard School, The Curtis School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Oberlin College, Michigan University, the University of North Texas, and Duquesne University. For a more complete list of student accomplishments and dates, see the Student Achievements page.
In addition to his private studio, Eliseo has also served as the Front Ensemble instructor at California University of Pennsylvania, and has taught at the Pana Percussion Institute in Ohio.
