César Villamil

Winner of the 1st International Saxophone Competition Perusax-2011 in the Quartet category, second place in the Jazz Soloist category at Perusax 2011, second prize at the first national saxophone competition Philippe Portejoie; César Villamil is one of the young Colombian masters who has trained and graduated a significant number of saxophonists. He is one of the most active, versatile, and representative performers of his generation. He obtained his Master’s degree in Music with an emphasis in saxophone at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, studying with masters Leonardo Camacho, Antonio Arnedo, and being advised for his thesis by master Philippe Portejoie, saxophone professor at the Conservatoire National de Nantes (France). He is a member of the CAOVVA saxophone quartet, whose proposal was selected among more than 700 worldwide to participate in the world saxophone congresses SAXOPEN 2015 and CROATIA 2018. He has performed concerts in countries such as the United States, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, among others.

He holds a Master’s degree in Symphony Conducting from the Conservatory of the National University of Colombia. He has conducted the symphonic band of ASAB and the symphonic band of Facatativá, winning the most important competitions in Colombia such as Paipa, Anapoima, and Tocancipá. With the Banda Sinfónica Obra Salesiana del Niño Jesús, he was runner-up in the International Band Competition in Valencia, Spain, and champion in the World Band Competition in Kerkrade, Netherlands. He has conducted the Banda Sinfónica Javeriana, the Banda Sinfónica of the National University, the ASAB Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Central University, and has been invited to conduct the Banda Sinfónica of the Conservatory Castilla La Mancha in Albacete, Spain, as well as the Banda Sinfónica Departamental del Valle.

He is currently the director of the Banda Sinfónica Juvenil de Cundinamarca and teaches saxophone at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and the Faculty of Arts ASAB.