Álvaro Collao León

Alvaro Collao León, holding a Master of Arts in Performance, Education and composition, stands as a versatile saxophonist, improviser, composer, and arranger based in Vienna, Austria. His profound musical journey has been enriched through studies under the tutelage of renowned mentors on a global scale. He is Saxophone teacher at the Joseph Haydn Institut für Kammermusik und Neue Musik at the Vienna University for Music and Performing Arts. Classical Saxophone and improvisation teacher at the Friedrich Gulda School of music Wien. Artistic director of the Tarapacá international music festival and ChileSaxFest.

Alvaro's saxophone and artistic studies began in the University of Chile under the guidance of Miguel Villafruela. His musical journey then traversed to Bordeaux, France, where he honed his skills at the Conservatoire under the mentorship of Marie-Bernadette Charrier. Vienna, Austria, became the next destination, where he immersed himself in the rich musical culture of the city at the Music and Arts Private University. Here, he studied under the guidance of distinguished mentors such as Lars Mlekusch, Andrew Middleton, Julia Purgina, Wolfgang Liebhart, Abazari Sara amongst others.

A laureate of multiple international music competitions, Alvaro's exceptional talent has garnered recognition worldwide. His accolades include triumphs at the Panamerican Competition of Classic Saxophone in Mexico City, the Vienna Fidelio Competition in 2012 and 2014, and the Osaka International Competition in 2015. Special honors, including the Hyogo Governor Awards, Vienna Performing Award, and Also Award from The Sax Magazine, further illustrate his musical excellence. Alvaro was also recognized at the 2017 Michigan M-Prize Competition and received the Startstipendium für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in 2017.

Alvaro Collao León is a consummate performer of contemporary music, renowned for collaborations with esteemed composers such as Friedrich Cerha, Georg Friedrich Haas, Hannes Kerschbaumer, Peter Eötvös, Olga Neuwirth, Beat Furrer, Francois Sarhan, Gerhard E. Winkler, Simon Pironkoff, Katharina Klement, Georges Aperghis, Alberto Posadas, Miguel Farias, Chaya Czernowin, Peter Erskine, Mauro Hertig, Alexander Stankovski, Jorge Sánchez-Chiong, Leo Brouwer, Daniel Osorio, Pierluigi Billone, among other luminaries.

His musical journey has graced the most prestigious concert halls and venues across the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Notable venues include the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Wiener Konzerthaus, Wiener Musikverein, Mozarteum großer saal Salzburg, Porgy and Bess of Vienna, National concert hall of Taipei, Gasteig Concert hall in Munich, Music Academy Katowice, Bibliothèque Mériadeck France, Teatro del Lago Chile, Corpartes Chile . Alvaro has also been a prominent presence in renowned festivals such as Allegro Vivo Kammermusik Festival, Wien Modern, Salzurg biennale, Wiener Festwochen, Klangspuren Schwaz, Vienna-SaxFest, Cervatino weeks of music from Guanajuato-Mexico, Aspekte Festival Salzburg, Bludenzer Tage zeitgemäßer Musik, International Festival at the UNAM in Mexico City, Ensems Festival, Bregenzer Festspiele, Transart. 

Alvaro is actively engaged with prominent musical ensembles, including the ÖENM Österreich Ensemble für Neue Musik, Orchester Volkoper Wien, PHACE Ensemble, Klangforum Wien, Tonkünstler Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, Kärntner Sinfonieorchester, Vienna Saxophonic Orchestra, Avido Duo, Reider-Collao, and FIVE SAX.