ANDORRA LA VELLA, ANDORRA

Saxophone Summit in the Pyrenees

Competitions

5 May 2026

The 2026 Andorra SaxFest brought together emerging and established artists for high level performances, masterclasses, workshops and orchestral collaborations

The Andorran Association of Saxophonists recently presented the 2026 Andorra Saxophone Competition and the accompanying Andorra Sax Fest, continuing its annual commitment to bring together saxophonists from around the globe in a remote Pyrenean city that organisers proudly call the “capital of the saxophone,” even rivaling Dinant, Belgium. For several days the city’s concert halls, streets and public spaces resounded with saxophone and brass sounds as a diverse international contingent of performers, students and audiences gathered for high‑level competition, public concerts and a rich programme of educational activities.

Andorra Sax Fest aims to offer a complete artistic and pedagogical experience for attendees, integrating masterclasses, concerts and workshops alongside the professional competition. The festival’s programme is designed to foster artistic growth and exchange: competitors benefit from intensive coaching and performance opportunities, younger players are encouraged to participate through a dedicated youth competition, and visiting artists present recitals and collaborative projects that enliven the city and broaden the festival’s cultural reach.

The 2026 Andorra International Saxophone Competition awarded First Prize to Juan David Toro Martin (25) of Zurich, Second Prize to Takaya Minami of Paris, and Third Prize to Javier Janeiro Sanchez of Brussels. The competition was adjudicated by an international jury of leading saxophonists and pedagogues: Christophe Grèzes, Erzsébet Seleljo, Femke Ijlstra, Jan Gričar, Joonatan Rautiola, Lars Mlekusch, Mariano García, Martin Trillaud, Nacho Gascón, Nahikari Oloriz, Nikita Zimin, Tomás Jerez, Mikhail Kazakov and Arno Bornkamp.

Among the festival’s featured artists and ensembles were soloists and chamber groups drawn from the international saxophone community and the national orchestra. A particular highlight was the collaboration with the Orquestra Nacional Clàssica d’Andorra under the baton of Alex Sansó, which presented large‑scale works alongside saxophone soloists and thereby underscored the festival’s capacity to merge orchestral and saxophone repertoires.

The 2026 edition reinforced Andorra’s growing reputation as a dynamic centre for saxophone performance and education. By combining a rigorous professional competition, opportunities for emerging players, and a broad programme of masterclasses and concerts, the Andorran Association of Saxophonists continues to expand the festival’s artistic profile and international appeal, and looks forward to developing outreach and programming in future editions.

Awards
First Prize: Juan David Toro Martin (25), Zurich,
Second Prize: Takaya Minami, Paris
Third Prize: Javier Janeiro Sanchez, Brussels

Jury
Christophe Grèzes, Erzsébet Seleljo, Femke Ijlstra, Jan Gričar, Joonatan Rautiola, Lars Mlekusch, Mariano García, Martin Trillaud, Nacho Gascón, Nahikari Oloriz, Nikita Zimin, Tomás Jerez, Mikhail Kazakov, Arno Bornkamp

Artists
Orquestra Nacional Clàssica d'Andorra/ Alex Sansó (Conductor)