Saxophone Soloist

Winner of numerous concerto competitions in the U.S., South America, and Europe, Jonathan Snowden is a highly gifted saxophonist, who—before turning his attention to composition and conducting—had initially been accepted to the UMKC Conservatory on a full-tuition scholarship for Saxophone Performance. Despite being entirely self-taught on the instrument, he was extended full-scholarship invitations by numerous schools following a 1st Prize win in his first concerto competition at age 17.

Snowden's primary teachers are Zach Shemon (PRISM) and Tim Timmons. He received additional mentorship with Joe Lullaff.

Before becoming a saxophone soloist, Snowden formally studied piano from age 7 and violin from age 10. His precocious abilities as a performer quickly earned him the seat of concertmaster for the KC Youth Symphonette. He made his conducting debut at age 12 with the KC Youth Symphony. After inheriting a saxophone at age 13, he immediately seized the opportunity to teach himself a wind instrument, too. While he initially aimed simply to become a more well-rounded musician and a better conductor, his natural talent ultimately led him down the path of soloist.

As a performer, Snowden has an extremely unique position, given his early background in orchestral playing and his current international career as a conductor. Praised for "expressive, flexible tone...." and "unparalleled musicianship," he is known for bringing lively performances to the concert stage, using his deep knowledge of scores to connect with orchestras, and making music that is exciting and accessible to his audiences.

Jonathan Snowden performs on Selmer (Paris) instruments, most notably a 1954 Mark VI and a gold-plated Jubilee Series III.