Dr. Johnny Salinas has been fortunate to perform and teach music on opposite sides of the world. He serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Oklahoma State University Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music in Stillwater, OK. Previously, Dr. Salinas served as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Soochow University School of Music in Suzhou, a major city located in southeastern Jiangsu Province of East China. While in China, Dr. Salinas performed many solo and chamber music recitals and had the opportunity to perform with the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
As a proud native of Houston, TX, he has performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Houston Ballet, as well as with Musiqa, an award-winning American contemporary music ensemble. He has performed as a soloist live on National Public Radio's The Front Row and has given notable solo performances at venues such as the Shanghai Symphony Hall, the Jinan Grand Theatre, the Kennedy Center Terrace Theatre and Lila Cockrell Theatre. He has given additional performances throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Dr. Salinas is an award-winning chamber musician. As the soprano saxophonist of the Amethyst Saxophone Quartet, he won first prizes at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition and the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition (MTNA). His other awards include the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, Chesapeake Bay Chamber Music Competition, Frank Huntington Beebe Fund, Hellam Young Artist Competition and Andreas Makris Woodwind Competition.
In addition to his previous appointment in China, Dr. Salinas has taught at Sam Houston State University, Houston Baptist University, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College and Morehead State University. He regularly teaches courses in applied saxophone, chamber music, woodwind methods, music appreciation and music technology. Dr. Salinas earned degrees from Northwestern University and studied with Frederick Hemke, Karen Wylie and Jason Bird.
Dr. Salinas is a Légère Endorsing Artist and Yamaha Performing Artist and performs on exclusively on Légère Signature Reeds and Yamaha Custom Saxophones.
