Spotlight | Acting Principal Clarinet (One Year Position)

Javier Morales-Martinez

Javier Morales-Martinez, a Los Angeles native, earned his Master of Music degree from the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where he studied under Yehuda Gilad. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance with a minor in Accounting from the University of Southern California.

Javier has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series and From the Top, where he was awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. He has received top prizes in numerous competitions, including First Prize at the Fine Arts Club of Pasadena Clarinet Competition, First Prize at the Silverstein Global Clarinet Contest, and recognition as a National YoungArts Foundation Finalist. Additional honors include the Lorna Hedges Scholarship from Music Academy of the West and the Mitchell Lurie Award from USC’s Thornton School of Music.

As an orchestral musician, Javier has performed with the Kansas City Symphony, Houston Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others. He has also participated in esteemed music festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, Marlboro Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, and the Orchestra of the Americas.

In addition to his performance career, Javier is a committed educator. He serves as a teaching artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA), advancing YOLA’s mission to provide transformational, equitable access to music education for young people from marginalized communities—supporting their personal development and strengthening their communities through the power of music.