AERO QUARTET
SALVADOR FLORES is an emerging young artist and classical saxophonist from Houston, Texas. His performances have taken him from venues such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Hill Auditorium, and the New World Center, to concert engagements in the United States, Switzerland, Belgium, and Mexico.
Over the course of his career he has compiled many prestigious awards, including most recently being named both the 1st Prize Winner of the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Classical Solo Competition and a 2020 Yamaha Young Performing Artist. He was also announced the recent winner of the 2020 National Collegiate Solo Competition, earning him the honor of making a soloist appearance with the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" during the 2020/21 Concert Season. In addition, he has been named a winner of the 2020 University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance Concerto Competition, a winner of the 2019 Bonnie and Lee Malmed Young Artists Competition hosted by the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, a prize winner in the 2019 Vandoren Emerging Artists Competition, the 1st Prize Winner of the 2021 Online International Saxiana Duo Competition (With Duo Partner, Walt Puyear), the First Prize Winner of the 59th Annual Lima Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, and a semifinalist in the 2019 Adolphe Sax International Competition, which is among the most selective and prestigious competitions for saxophonists around the world. More of Salvador’s accomplishments include First Prize in the 2018 MTNA Senior Woodwind National Competition, named both a 2017 National YoungArts Winner and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and declared the First Prize Winner of both the 2017 Interlochen Arts Camp Concerto Competition and the 2017 Ann Arbor Camerata Collegiate Division Concerto Competition. In 2021, Salvador was named the second saxophonist to ever receive the School of Music, Theatre and Dance's most distinguished performance award, the Albert A. Stanley Medal—second only to his teacher Dr. Timothy McAllister.
Salvador’s solo career has taken him to stages alongside many ensembles, including the Interlochen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Ann Arbor Camerata, and the Galena Park High School Wind Ensemble. Most recently, he performed Jacques Ibert’s Concertino da Camera with the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra on the 2020/21 concert season under the direction of Kenneth Kiesler, who serves as Director of University Orchestras and Professor of Conducting at the University of Michigan. He is looking forward to his upcoming soloist appearances with the Lima Symphony Orchestra and the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own".
An avid and active chamber musician, Salvador currently serves as the Soprano Chair of the Aero Quartet, based out of Ann Arbor, MI. The quartet has gone on to receive many prestigious awards, including being named a Gold Medallist and 1st Prize Winner of the 2021 Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, the 1st Prize Winner and Michigan Composer Prize recipient of the 2021 Briggs Chamber Music Competition, the 1st Prize Winner of the 2021 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition, as well having been named the 1st Prize Winner of the 2021 NOLA Chamber Festival Graduate Competition. They have also been named a recipient of the 2021 University of Michigan Binkow Chamber Music Grant. The ensemble is taking on many projects, one being creating recordings of works for Saxophone Quartet and Organ in the historic Hill Auditorium. Such works to be included in the project include William Albright's "Valley of Fire", Victoria Borisova-Ollas' "In a World Unspoken", and a newly-commissioned work by esteemed composer Jennifer Higdon entitled "Heavy Dynamics". The group has performed at University of Michigan Chamber Music Forums, the MTNA Chamber Music Competition Winners Concert, and in a masterclass with the renowned Aizuri Quartet hosted by the 2021 NOLA Chamber Fest.
A multi-disciplined saxophonist, Salvador also performs in the Regional Mexican style with bands generally following the instrumentation of Voice, Saxophone, Accordion, Bajo Sexto, Bass Guitar, and Drum Set. He has toured with many groups, including Kikin y Los Astros and Conjunto Azabache, as well as many other local bands in the Houston area. During the Summer of 2019, he toured with another notable band that goes by the name of La Firmeza Norteña. They played several packed/sold-out concerts across the United States in cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, and Chicago. He has also produced and recorded an album with the group, who currently exceeds 4 Million streams on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Salvador is currently pursuing an M.M. in Saxophone Performance at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor under the direction of Dr. Timothy McAllister.