Javier Oviedo

Acclaimed for his lustrous tone and formidable technique, Javier Oviedo has worked tirelessly to bring the significant but underplayed classical saxophone repertoire to new and appreciative audiences. His engagements with orchestras such as the New Jersey Symphony, The Louisiana Philharmonic, and Orchestre Pasdeloup were great crowd-pleasers and have garnered invitations to play from around the world. He toured China as part of a saxophone quartet and has been a frequent soloist in Europe and France.

Oviedo has a special affinity for France and its place in the history of the saxophone, and his musicological detective work has unearthed forgotten gems for his instrument. His impassioned performances of this repertoire have led to his highly successful debut in Paris with the Orchestre Pasdeloup and debut recording entitled The Classical Saxophone: A French Love Story. The American Record Guide said about this disc, “The music is rich, lush, and colorful, and one is tempted to praise repeatedly Oviedo’s gorgeous sound, which fits these pieces perfectly.”

Widely regarded as a master teacher, Oviedo holds several faculty posts including Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT and Mannes College: The New School for Music in New York, where his students are trained in the art of saxophone playing including tone production and effortless technique. He is prized for his insight and ability to help students find their own sense of musicality and style. Oviedo also serves as Director of Development and as a member of the Board of Trustees for The French-American School of Music in New York where he regularly conducts master classes.

Javier Oviedo has performed in many of New York’s most prestigious locations such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and the Dag Hammerskjöld Auditorium at The United Nations. He was an original member of the Elision Saxophone Quartet and can be heard on their recording, LIVE Through the Years. In 2007 Oviedo created The New York Wind Symphony, which brings to New York the large repertoire of music written for winds, and is also the managing director and performer for The F.R.E.D. Chamber Players, a group specializing in new and less frequently heard music.