Ricardo Martinez

Ricardo Martinez is Assistant Professor of Practice in Saxophone at Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific. He was selected as Grand Prize Winner of the 9th Plowman Chamber Music Competition and First Prize Winner in the 2017 Chicago Woodwind Ensemble Competition, has played concerts internationally in France, Scotland, and Japan, and has performed at the International Saxophone Symposium, North American Saxophone Alliance, American Single Reed Summit, and World Saxophone Congress.

Martinez has performed with Classical Tahoe, California Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and has recorded at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County. In addition, he has been a featured soloist with the Mission Chamber Orchestra of San José, Stanford Summer Symphony, University of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Indiana University Guitar Ensemble, and the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Cergy-Pontoise Wind Ensemble. A supporter of new music, Martinez frequently participates in consortiums, collaborates with composers, and has performed at Society of Composers, Inc., and Midwest Composers Symposium.  He serves as a clinician in Northern California and actively adjudicates solo and ensemble festivals with CMEA (California Music Educators Association) Bay Section.

Martinez began his saxophone studies in the Bay Area under David Henderson of Stanford University and William Trimble, and earned degrees at the University of Minnesota, studying with saxophone virtuoso Eugene Rousseau, and in France at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Cergy-Pontoise, where he studied with Jean-Yves Fourmeau, receiving the Médaille d’Or in saxophone and graduating with honors in chamber music. Martinez later completed graduate work at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the guidance of Otis Murphy and studied with the esteemed Japanese saxophonist Nobuya Sugawa at the Hamamatsu International Wind Academy and Festival. As an educator, Martinez has served as Associate Instructor in saxophone at Indiana University and been invited to teach and perform at the Indiana University Summer Saxophone Academy, Stanford University, and CSU (California State University) Summer Arts. Martinez is an endorsing artist for Legere Reeds and BG France.