A native of Chelva (Spain), Jose Martinez is principal tuba of the National Orchestra of Spain, cofounder of Duo2Arts, and a Chicago Luminarts Cultural FoundationAmbassador.
Martinez was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and performed as guest with the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Qatar Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony or the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra.
Jose presented masterclasses at Isla Verde Bronces brass festival in Argentina, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, San Francisco Conservatory or the University of Guadalajara in Mexico. He will forever be indebted to Mike Roylance, Gene Pokorny, Chris Olka, Morten Agerup and Sergio Finca.
Winner of the Jim & Jamie Self Creative Award or the Chicago’ Luminarts Foundation Solo Competition, Martinez has been a jury member for the Jeju International Tuba Competition (South Korea) or the International Tuba and Euphonium Association.
Jose Martínez has been a member of the Chelva Symphony Wind Band since 1998.
Having studied in Spain, Sweden and the USA, Jose admires his wife’s drive as CEO of Espacio Sherezade, Dance and Pilates Academy, located in the mountainous northern region of Madrid, where they live being loved by Danza (a female Shepherd Mastiff Mix doggie) and Mopa (a female Belier bunny).
More info at www.duo2arts.com.
You might want to know more about Jose and his adventures, hence keep reading for a long story…
NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF SPAIN
After having performed as guest principal tuba with the National Orchestra of Spain in several occasions in 2015 and due to a successful audition in January 2017, Jose Martínez joined the ranks of the orchestra in April 2017.
The orchestra makes its home at the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid where it therefore performs the majority of its concerts. Besides, the orchestra occasionally presents concerts all around Spain and abroad, with recent tours through Europe and in the near future to South Korea, Japan or South America.
STRONG PROPONENT OF TRAINING ORCHESTRAS
Jose became a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for the 2016/2017 season after having been an associate member of the orchestra since 2011.
In addition, he was invited to play with the New World Symphony (2016), Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra (2016, 2015, 2013), Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra (2015), Civic Orchestra of Chicago (2014), Castleton Festival Orchestra (2014), Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (2012, 2011), Swedish National Orchestra Academy (2010/2012), Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic (2011), European Union Youth Orchestra (2010), National Youth Orchestra of Spain (2010), Idyllwild Arts Festival Orchestra (2009) or the Youth Orchestra of Andalusia (2006/2008).
Because of life circumstances, Martinez had to refuse some fantastic opportunities to play with the following orchestra academies:
*New World Symphony (2017, principal; 2016, principal & second)
*American Institute of Musical Studies (2016 Summer Season, principal)
*Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy (2016 Summer Season, principal)
*Tanglewood Music Center (2015, 2014, second)
*Castleton Festival Orchestra (2015 Summer Season, principal)
*Music Academy of the West (2014, second)
*Spoleto Festival Orchestra (2014 Summer Season, principal)
*Swedish National Orchestra Academy (2013, second)
*Chicago Youth in Music Festival Orchestra (2012, principal)
*Aldeburgh World Orchestra (2012 European Summer Tour, principal)
*Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic (2012 European Spring Tour, principal)
*Civic Orchestra of Chicago (2012, principal)
*Norwegian National Youth Orchestra (2012 Winter Project, principal)
*Bayreuth Youth Festival Orchestra (2011 Summer Season, principal)
*National Youth Orchestra of The Netherlands (2009 Summer Season, principal)
ENTHUSIASTIC ORCHESTRAL PLAYER (Principal Tuba)
Martinez was fortunate to perform as guest principal tuba with the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and the Filarmonica della Scala (2023), Mahler Chamber Orchestra (2023, 2019, 2018), Qatar Philharmonic (2022), Gothenburg Symphony (2022), Malaysian Philharmonic (2019), Boston Symphony (2017, 2014), Saint Louis Symphony (2016), Jalisco Philharmonic (2016), Boston Pops (2015) as well as the Symphony New Hampshire (2015, 2014).
ENTHUSIASTIC ORCHESTRAL PLAYER (Second Tuba)
Performances as second tubist included those with The Netherlands Philharmonic (2024), Residentie Orkest The Hague (2024), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (2023), Seattle Symphony (2019), Porto Symphony (2018), Boston Symphony (2017), Minnesota Orchestra (2017), Chicago Symphony (2017, 2016), Saint Louis Symphony (2017, 2016), New York Philharmonic (2016), Naples Philharmonic (2015) and also the Gothenburg Symphony (2012).
ENTHUSIASTIC ORCHESTRAL PLAYER (Refused opportunities)
Due to life circumstances, Martinez had to refuse some amazing opportunities to play with the following ensembles:
*Iceland Symphony Orchestra (2024/2025 season; 2023/2024 season; 2022, second; 2019, 2017, 2016, principal)
*Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, and Teatro alla Scala Brass Ensemble (2024, principal)
*Cincinatti Symphony Orchestra (2024, 2023 second)
*Boston Symphony Orchestra (2024, 2022, second)
*Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (2024, 2022, second)
*Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2024, second; 2019, principal; 2018, principal & second)
*Seattle Symphony Orchestra (2024, principal; 2017, second)
*Orchestra dell’ Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia di Roma (2023, second)
*San Diego Symphony Orchestra (2023, second)
*Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (2023, principal)
*Mahler Chamber Orchestra (2022, 2019, principal)
*St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (2022, 2017, principal)
*Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (2019, principal)
*Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (2017, 2016, 2014, principal)
*Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra (2017, principal)
*Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra (2017, principal)
*New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra (2017, principal)
*Symphony New Hampshire (2016, principal)
*Detroit Symphony Orchestra (2016, principal)
*Porto Symphony Orchestra (2015, principal)
*Shen Jun Performing Arts Orchestra (2014 USA Tour, principal)
*Gothenburg Opera (2012, off-stage)
SEASONED TRAVELER
Subsequently, these and some other opportunities are bringing Jose all around the world. For instance, performances with the world-renowned Mahler Chamber Orchestra brought him on tour through Asia, Europe and Oceania since the 2018/2019 season.
Consequently, he has worked under the baton of world-renowned conductors. To name a few, Stefan Asbury, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Semyon Bychkov, Stéphane Denève, Gustavo Dudamel, Christoph Eschenbach, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, Daniele Gatti, Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Daniel Harding, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Kent Nagano, Esa-Pekka Salonen as well as Jaap van Zweden.
FASCINATED BY CHAMBER MUSIC
Jose is always looking for opportunities to play alongside colleagues because he finds chamber music fundamental in the routine of a musician. For that reason, he is a member of the following groups:
*Duo2Arts
A music, dance and theater company cofounded with the ballerina and actress Sherezade Soriano.
The project was born in 2019 as a wish of a couple to bring their passions together, dance, music, and theater.
Ever since, the duo has presented itself in Spain (#GESTO, Street Dance Festival), Portugal (Gravíssimo Festival), France (Scènes Plurielles Company), United States (Chicago Symphony Center), South Korea (Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival) or Argentina (Isla Verde Bronces Brass Festival).
Winners of the 2023 International Tuba & Euphonium Association Jim and Jamie Self Creative Award, the 2021/2022 season started with The American Prize Special Judges’ Citation for Unique Creativity, awarded by The American Prize Competition for the Performing Arts, thanks to the show “Adulthood Stories”.
Future engagements include on tour performances of “Gestural Poem” by Daniel Schvetz, with poems by Federico García Lorca, in Spain and around the world.
*brassONEquintet
Brass quintet comprised of members of the National Orchestra of Spain (Adán Delgado, trumpet; Juan Antonio Martínez, trumpet; Juan Carlos Matamoros, trombone, Pedro Jorge, horn).
AVID CHAMBER MUSICIAN
He has performed with ensembles such as World Brass (2018) and as a Zarin Mehta fellow with musicians from the New York Philharmonic and the American Brass Quintet (2016).
Besides, he has appeared with artists from the Chicago Symphony and the Ensemble Dal Niente in the MusicNOW contemporary music series (2016).
Moreover, New Music USA reviewed the following performance since “his gestures rumbled with high contrast” (2011):
EAGER SOLOIST
2024 started with the world premiere of “Itinera 4.0”, low brass concerto by Federico Jusid, with the National Orchestra of Spain at the National Auditorium of Music.
Martinez won 1st prize at the 2020 Busan Maru International Music Festival Concerto Competition — online edition — from Busan (South Korea).
Jose embarked on a 2019 USA Recital Tour with stops at several respected institutions. Specifically, the University of Washington, Chicago Symphony Center, San Francisco Conservatory and Boston University.
Previously, Martinez won 1st prize at the Luminarts Foundation Solo Competition (2016). Earlier, he was a runner-up at the Brookline Symphony Concerto Competition (2014).
A finalist at the Music Academy of the West and the Boston University Concerto Competitions (2015 and 2014 respectively), he also was a featured soloist at the Midwest Clinic International Conference with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago (2015).
EMERGING EDUCATOR
Jose is artistic director of FAN/Festival of Arts and Nature, and a cofounder of the Madrid Tuba Academy.
Since 2023, Martínez is a mentor of the “la Caixa” Foundation Bachelor Fellowships.
From December 2020 till September 2022, Jose was temporary tuba professor at the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country (https://musikene.eus).
In addition, Martínez has exchanged knowledge with other musicians internationally. Specifically, at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague (The Netherlands, 2024), Academia de Música de Castelo de Paiva (Portugal, 2023), Escola Profissional de Música de Espinho (Portugal, 2023), Isla Verde Bronces brass festival (Argentina, 2023), Jeju International Tuba Competition (South Korea, 2022), Conservatorium van Amsterdam (The Netherlands, 2022), San Francisco Conservatory of Music (USA, 2019), University of Washington (USA, 2019), Ensemble de Cuivres de Belgique Brass Festival (Belgium, 2019), Gravíssimo! Festival (Portugal, 2019), Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo (Portugal, 2018), University of Guadalajara (Mexico, 2016) and also, at various summer workshops and institutions, including the Spanish National Orchestra Academy, in his home country.
THOUGHTFUL JURY MEMBER
Martinez has been a jury member for the Jeju International Tuba Competition (South Korea), National Orchestra of Spain, National Youth Orchestra of Spain, International Tuba and Euphonium Association, Spanish Association of Tubas and Euphoniums, and the International Mock Audition Competition for tuba.
“LEARNER FOR LIFE”
Sergio Carolino dixit and one of his inspirations, Jose will forever be indebted to Mike Roylance, Gene Pokorny, Chris Olka, Morten Agerup as well as Sergio Finca, his greatest influences. In fact, he is wordless to describe his gratitude to these individuals.
Equally important, Martinez is thankful for the guidance and support received from Alan Baer, Anne Jelle Visser, Dennis Nulty, Don Lucas, Floyd Cooley, Ingemar Roos, Jimmy Olsson, Ramiro Tejero, Randy Hawes and Toby Oft.
In spite of the many teachers Jose studied with during his official formative years in Spain, they were fundamental. For instance, Juan Toledo, José Giner, Lorenzo Llovet, Jose Vicente Navarro, Hernández Guirado, Juan Jesús Ortiz, Miguel Fabra as well as José Miñana.
INSPIRED STUDENT
Jose attended the Chelva Regional School of Music (Elementary Studies), conservatories in Liria and Valencia (Professional Studies and Undergraduate Degree), Spanish Brass Tuba Academy (Private Studies) as well as the University of Valencia (Master of Musical Arts in Music Education) in Spain.
His desire to study abroad brought him to Sweden where he continued his development at the University of Gothenburg from 2010 till 2012 with a Master of Musical Arts in Orchestral Performance (and Chamber Music Studies).
Studies at the Chicago Negaunee Music Institute (Orchestral and Chamber Music Studies), New York Philharmonic Global Academy (Orchestral, Chamber Music and Arts Administration Studies) and Boston University College of Fine Arts (Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance) followed in the span from 2012 until 2020.
Crediting a great deal of progress to intensive summer studies at several other USA Institutions, Jose also attended the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West or the University of Redlands.
Most recently, during the world-wide pandemic of 2020, Doctor Martinez completed a 10-weeks online course on The Science of Well-Being at Yale University.
Martinez started 2021 studying with Craig Knox and John DiCesare at The Total Tubist Online Institute.
GRATEFUL MULTIPLE SCHOLARSHIP-WINNING
A Luminarts Cultural Foundation Fellow at the Union League Club of Chicago since 2016 until 2026, Martinez was named Ambassador of the Foundation from 2023 til 2026.
Jose received numerous awards that supported his career and avoided extraordinary expenses in the bosom of the family, indeed, the 2014-2016 “CaixaBank” Foundation Fellowship (Fulbright-equivalent) stands out. In a few words, Jose was the first brass player ever awarded with this grant since the creation of the Foundation in 1982.
Similarly, his studies abroad were supported by:
*Boston University Student Travel Assistance Fund (2013-2017, 2020)
*Negaunee Music Institute Scholarship (2016-2017)
*Boston University Merit Scholarships (2012-2014, 2016-2017)
*Spanish Association of Artists and Performers (2009, 2012, 2014-2016)
*Mr. John B. Haggerty and Ms. Susan W. Simons Sponsorship (2016)
*Zarin Mehta Fellowship (2016)
*Civic Orchestra of Chicago Engagement Ensembles Fellowship (2015-2016)
*Karl Kramer Family Foundation Full Scholarship (2015)
*Dr. and Mrs. John M. Palms Sponsorship (2015)
*Chicago Symphony Orchestral Association Scholarship (2014)
*Boston University Graduate Assistantship (2013-2014)
*Boston University Brass Department Honors Award (2013)
*William Medich Sponsorship (2013)
*Royal Swedish Academy of Music (2013)
*Valencia Institute of Music (2009, 2012)
*Jerker Nilsson Fellowship (2012)
*Omar del Carlo Fellowship (2011-2012)
*Adlerbertska Foundation (2010-2012)
*Ibercaja Bank (2010-2011)
*Liria International Young Performers Competition Award (2010)
*Fundación Promete (2009-2010)
*Oviedo Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Foundation Fellowship (2008)
Subsequently, Jose Martinez became a member of the USA Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society in 2020.
CHELVA SYMPHONY WIND BAND + MEMORIES
In brief, where it all started back in 1998!
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