Andalusian Saxophonist Juan David Toro Martín Wins Solo Sax Competition 2026 at Andorra Sax Fest

Juan David Toro Martín, a 25-year-old saxophonist from Andalusia, won the Solo Sax Competition 2026 at the 13th Andorra Sax Fest. The event concluded on Saturday, April 4, at the Centre de Congressos in Andorra la Vella, after a week of competitions, masterclasses, and concerts that drew 185 participants from 36 countries.

Toro, who trained at the Granada Conservatory and has performed with the Orquestra Ciudad de Granada and Jove Orquestra Simfònica de Granada, topped the final ahead of six international rivals from five nations: Takaya Minami from Japan in second place, Javier Janeiro Sánchez from Spain third, followed by Kristóf Havasi from Hungary, and Russians Arsenii Budanov and Sofiia Petrash. The finalists had advanced from Thursday's semifinal, where 18 players performed Claude Pascal's "Sonatine" plus a free-choice piece. The public final started at 3pm, with results announced that evening during the closing gala at 8pm.

Toro received €8,000 from Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Mònica Bonell, a Selmer Paris Supreme saxophone, a recital at next year's festival, a jury position in the 2027 youth competition, and a performance in the ClàssicAND series.

The festival, held from March 28 to April 4, reached full capacity. Highlights included Friday's 9pm concert by the Orquestra Nacional Clàssica d’Andorra (ONCA) under Àlex Sansó, featuring around 20 musicians, up to six saxophone soloists, harpsichord, and percussion in a programme of French works, adapted Vivaldi pieces originally for other instruments, and saxophone originals. ONCA concertmaster Gabriel Coll described the non-standard repertoire as a significant challenge due to wind-friendly keys uncomfortable for strings, prepared in intensive rehearsals.

In the Solo Sax Youth Competition, Russian Alexandr Dolgov won category D with "Danse Folle" by David Salleras and "Tel un serpent qui danse" by Karol Beffa, earning a Selmer saxophone, €250 in Saxtienda.com vouchers, a year-long adlibitumclass.com subscription, and a 2027 festival concert with travel and lodging covered. Other category winners were Franciszek Wójcik (A), Mateo Pérez Blanco (B), and Xiaocheng Qin (C), who performed pieces including "Résonances" by Alain Crespin, "Andante et vivo" by Ryota Nomura, and works by Charles Koechlin and Barry Cockcroft.

The fourth Sax Awards went to the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet for its chamber music contributions and saxophonist Arno Bornkamp for his artistic and teaching achievements.

Director Efrem Roca called the edition "intense," citing high competition standards that challenged the jury, positive participant feedback, and innovations like virtual reality for stage familiarity and "Meet the Pro" sessions. He highlighted ONCA's role in pairing local forces with international soloists, four Andorran youths in the youth category, and logistical limits preventing participant growth.