Alexander Saldarriaga

I am a classically-trained violinist and teacher in Tarpon Springs, FL. I recently taught at the Academy of the Arts at NSU University School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I have performed as a soloist and member of various music ministries for over 40 years throughout several South Florida churches (All Saints Catholic Church, Blessed Sacrament, St. Edward, St. Patrick, Church of the Epiphany, St. Hugh, St. John Neumann, St. Gregory, etc.) I first studied violin under Mr. Bernard Minzer, who studied with Mishel Piastro, the former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic and star pupil of the great violin pedagogue, Leopold Auer. I later completed my violin studies with the distinguished Dutch violinist and teacher, Prof. Hendrik de Blij, who was the first violin professor at the New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida. I served as Prof. de Blij’s violin teaching assistant, working with talented high school students who were preparing to audition for the leading music conservatories. The foundations of my teaching philosophy and methods encompass the very best of both the Franco-Belgian and Russian schools of traditional, classical violin playing. In addition to music ministry, I have appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral member at Florida International University and the University of Miami. My two violin heroes are Jascha Heifetz and Nathan Milstein. I'm pictured here with Mr. Milstein after his performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in Fort Lauderdale, FL.