Fernando Cruz

Saxophonist, composer, and educator Fernando Cruz is an active member of the Florida music scene. His expressive and distinctive musical style makes him a unique artist who is highly in demand. Fernando is steadfast in his aspiration to reach audiences world-wide and command the spotlight as he unfolds his musical journey.        

At an early age, Fernando has shown great music potential since elementary school. By the age of 11, Fernando started playing flute in middle school band class and within six months, he started playing saxophone in the jazz band. After discovering the virtuosity and genius of John Coltrane’s music, Fernando’s love for the saxophone and music grew immensely, as did his continuously evolving musicianship as he made his way through high school and college. Many of his early musical influences included John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, George Coleman, and Dexter Gordon, to name a few.  

Fernando completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music at the University of North Florida, where he studied with legendary saxophonist Todd Delgiudice. During his graduate studies, Fernando was appointed as a Jazz Graduate Teaching Assistant. 

In 2019, Fernando was awarded two distinguished scholarships from the Jacksonville Jazz Society and the Jazz Club of Sarasota, which led him to perform his original compositions with his own group. In 2022, he was selected to present his research on jazz education at the FMEA Conference in Tampa, Florida. 

Aside from leading his own group, Fernando is a member of various ensembles and projects throughout the Florida region. He performs in various musical disciplines including jazz, orchestral, contemporary, and musical theater. He has performed alongside prominent musicians such as Wycliffe Gordon, Jared Schonig, Marquis Hill, Bob Reynolds, and Pasquale Grasso, to name a few. Furthermore, he has performed in several major music festivals, including the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Sarasota Jazz Festival, Amelia Island Jazz Festival, Lakeside Jazz Festival, Tropical Heatwave Festival, and Savannah Jazz Festival. 

As an educator, Fernando is a frequent clinician for many music associations and schools in the Florida area, including the Savannah Philharmonic All-Star Ensemble in Savannah, Georgia. He is currently serving as the Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at the State College of Florida.   

Fernando is persistently on the rise, eager to unveil his musical artistry to the world. He is committed to pushing his own limits within the scope of music, aiming to make groundbreaking discoveries that will not only fuel his creativity but also inspire future generations.