A Grammy Award winning artists and two other Grammy nominations Jorge Martinez-Rios studied viola and piano at the Conservatorio de las Rosas in Morelia, Mexico, where he graduated with honors under the tutelage of professor Gela Dubrova. In 2003, he completed his Master of Music degree in Viola Performance at Western Michigan University. In 2007, he completed another Master of Music degree in chamber music and conducting.
While at WMU, Mr. Martinez was awarded one of the university’s most prestigious awards, namely, the All-University Graduate Research and Creative Scholar Award. It was the first time in the history of the university that the Graduate College bestowed such recognition upon the School of Music.
Mr. Martinez specializes in chamber music and he is the violist and founding member of the La Catrina Quartet, which has been hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as Wonderful ambassadors for music. He has performed in Germany, United Kingdom, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Aruba, El Salvador, and all of the United States.
Recent appearances include, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall and Symphony Space, NY; Meany Hall World-Series, Seattle WA; Chicago Center for the Arts, IL; UCLA Concert Series, CA; Festival Internacional Chihuahua, Mexico; Palacio de Bellas Artes and National Center for the Arts, Mexico City; San Miguel de Allende Music Festival and Festival Internacional Cervantino, Guanajuato Mexico; just to mention but a few.
Mr. Martinez has appeared as soloist and principal violist for several orchestras in Mexico and the US including Orquesta Filarmónica de México, Camerata de Coahuila, Orquesta de Camara de Morelia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria, Western Piedmont Symphony and Las Cruces Symphony.
He has recorded over 10 albums. In 2012 he was a featured artist on the Latin Grammy Winner recording of the Seresta for Double Quartet by Brazilian composer Francisco Mignone with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano under Sono Luminus Label. In 2014, he was nominated for another Latin Grammy for his recording of String Quartet No. 2 by Cuban composer Yalil Guerra. Last year, he was nominated for a 2018 Latin Grammy for the recording of String Quartet No. 3 (In memoriam Ludwig Van Beethoven) by the same composer.
Recently, Mr. Martinez-Rios was invited by the National Endowment for the Arts in Mexico to be part of a historical recording compilation where he recorded the String Trio and the Sonata for Viola and Piano by Jose P. Moncayo.
Currently, he is an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University, conductor of the New Horizons Symphony, and Orquesta de Cámara de Ciudad Juárez, and has a busy performing, conducting and recording agenda for the coming years.