Zachary Costello is a virtuoso and visionary saxophonist, internationally recognized for his ability to engage audiences in dialogue with contemporary classical music.
A member of the PULSE quartet, he explores immersive and engaging formats through residency projects, performances in unusual venues, and artistic education.
Trained in the United States, he has developed a career spanning concerts, competitions, recordings, and innovative cultural activities.
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Zachary Costello is an award-winning saxophonist passionate about creating immersive and accessible musical experiences that blur the lines between performers and audiences. Born in South Korea and raised in Maryland, he has garnered national and international recognition.
He recently won the Grand Prize and Young Artist Award at the Naftzger Competition, Second Prize at the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition 2025, and was a prize-winning finalist at the Andorra Saxfest 2024 International Competition, where he performed as a soloist with the National Classical Orchestra of Andorra. He also won Second Prize at the MTNA National Competition in the United States and received the Hans Schaeuble Award in Switzerland in 2022.
Zachary is also a committed chamber musician, occupying the soprano position in the award-winning PULSE Quartet, dedicated to bringing music to life and connecting with audiences in unexpected places.
As an Artistic Resident at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, PULSE is actively involved in the Sound Garden Project, which aims to plant music in unconventional spaces.
The quartet received the Lift Every Voice Prize at the 2024 Fischoff Competition, First Prize at the Glass City and NOLA Competitions, and Second Prize at the Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition. He has also participated in the Arosa Klassik Festival in Switzerland.
Alongside his performing career, Zachary is deeply involved in cultural administration and arts outreach projects, with the goal of democratizing access to classical and contemporary music.
He has taken masterclasses with Vincent David, Lars Mlekusch, Christian Wirth, Timothy McAllister, Otis Murphy, Christopher Creviston, and Stephen Page.
Having earned a Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University, where he studied with Joseph Lulloff, Zachary Costello is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music in the class of Chien-Kwan Lin, where he also holds a graduate assistantship.
