Learn more
Fabio Cesare – Saxophonist and Composer
Fabio Cesare is a saxophonist and composer who has built his musical career with determination and passion.
Born in 1995, he graduated with the highest honors in saxophone in 2016 from the Nicola Sala Conservatory in Benevento, under the direction of Maestro Paolo Rigliari. He then continued his studies in France, specializing in solo repertoire at the Strasbourg Conservatory, in the class of Philippe Geiss, where he received the distinction of "very good with congratulations from the jury." In 2020, he earned a Master's degree in Chamber Music from the Haute École des Arts du Rhin, an experience that enriched his artistic career with the Avena Quartet and fueled his passion for composition. At the same time, he deepened his knowledge of jazz with Maestro Michael Alizon.
Training with the greatest saxophone masters
Throughout his career, he perfected his playing with great names on the saxophone scene, such as:
Federico Mondelci, Mario Marzi, Arno Bornkamp, Nobuya Sugawa, Vincent David, Jean-Denis Michat, Philippe Geiss, Masataka Hirano, Joonatan Rautiola, Jean-Pierre Caens, Derek Brown, and Baptiste Herbin.
Awards and Distinctions
Winner of 14 national and international awards, Fabio Cesare has distinguished himself both as a soloist and in chamber music. Among his recent awards:
➤ "Prix d'honneur" at the Léopold Bellan Competition in Paris.
➤ "Prix de la ville de Boulogne-Billancourt" and "Special APEC Prize" at the Competition for the Performance of 20th and 21st Century Chamber Music in Paris.
➤ First Prize in Chamber Music and Kazuo Tomioka Special Prize at the Kurashiki International Saxophone Competition (Japan).
➤ Second Prize and Audience Prize at the Gaetano Zinetti International Music Competition (Verona).
Stage Career and Prestigious Collaborations
His concert career has led him to perform at prestigious festivals and theaters throughout Italy, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Luxembourg. Among his notable concerts:
➤ Teatro di San Carlo (Naples).
➤ Festival Radio France Occitanie Montpellier.
➤ Mozart Festival (Pravets, Bulgaria).
➤ World Saxophone Congress (Croatia).
➤ Philharmonie du Luxembourg.
➤ European Parliament in Strasbourg, during international events.
Creation and world premieres
Fabio Cesare has created numerous contemporary works, including:
➤ A quintet for alto saxophone and string quartet by Gilles Arcens.
➤ Massar by Jean-Charles Richard, dedicated to the Avena Quartet.
➤ Stabat Mater by Gaetano Panariello, written for the Airang Ensemble and the Coro della Pietà dei Turchini of Naples, with whom he collaborates as a saxophonist.
Orchestral Engagements
Since 2015, he has collaborated regularly with the Benevento Philharmonic Orchestra and, since 2017, with the Orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. He has performed under the baton of internationally renowned conductors, including:
Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Chailly, Antonio Pappano, Daniel Oren, Juraj Valčuha, Timothy Brock, Vello Pähn, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, Paul Connelly, Elio Boncompagni, Alberto Nanetti, and Valerio Galli.
Discography and Upcoming Projects
Fabio Cesare has recorded:
➤ "Massar" (2023), with the Avena Quartet, on the Indésens label.
➤ "Libellula" (scheduled for release in July 2025), on Klarthe, an album entirely dedicated to his own compositions, marking a major turning point in his career as a composer and performer.
He is also a founding member of ProgettOpera, an ensemble innovative chamber music, composed of six saxophonists and a percussionist, which reinvents Puccini's great operas. In August 2025, the group will record their first album for Da Vinci Records, dedicated to Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.
A renowned teacher
Alongside his performing career, Fabio Cesare has extensive teaching experience:
➤ Since 2015, he has assisted Maestro Paolo Rigliari in the saxophone class at the Nicola Sala Conservatory in Benevento.
➤ He has given masterclasses at renowned institutions, such as:
Conservatoire de Gap (France).
Harare International School (Zimbabwe).
School of Music at North-West University (South Africa).
Conservatoire de Nancy (France).
➤ He taught at the Leonardo Da Vinci Conservatory ... Vinci German-Italian School (Munich) as well as various schools and academies in France.
➤ Since 2025, he has been a saxophone professor at the Fausto Torrefranca Conservatory in Vibo Valentia, Italy.
Awards and Partnerships
Fabio Cesare is a Selmer artist and JLV Sound Paris ambassador.
