Musician Bio

Pedro Fernández Saavedra joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra during the 2015-2016 season and since 2018 he spends the summers with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in Western New York. Prior to these appointments, he held positions with the Houston Ballet Orchestra and in a one year capacity with the Cincinnati Symphony during the 2014-2015 season. Mr. Fernández has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Hawaii Symphony, Sphinx Symphony, Sphinx Virtuosi, and the National Symphony of Costa Rica, among many others. He has also performed both in the section and as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of his native Panama.

As a chamber musician Mr. Fernández has participated in the Resident Artist series of the Chautauqua Institution, the prospective series of the Texas Music Festival, with the Frost Chamber Players at Festival Miami, and the Alfredo de Saint-Malo Music Festival. Equally as comfortable in other genres, his interests outside of classical music have made him a frequent guest with various groups in Indianapolis and across the country.

Mr. Fernández is chair of percussion at the Chautauqua Music School and has been on the faculties at Ball State University, Lone Star College – Montgomery, and the Percussion Conservatory (online platform). He has appeared as a clinician at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Indiana University, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Butler University, DePauw University, University of Kansas, Wright State University, Conservatorio de Música del Estado de México, as well as the National Institute of Music and the National University of Panama.

Mr. Fernández holds degrees from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and Sam Houston State University, his main teachers include Matthew Strauss, Svet Stoyanov, Dr. John Lane, and Osvaldo Sempris. He also attended the Aspen, Texas, and Pacific Music Festivals as well and the National Repertory Orchestra.