Omar Martinez

Omar Martinez-Sandoval is an active double bass player, educator, and composer based in Philadelphia, PA. Born in Uruapan, Michoacán, México, he began his music studies with Victor Flores at the Conservatorio de las Rosas in Morelia, Mexico.

Martinez is Double Bass Faculty at the Peabody Preparatory of Johns Hopkins University. He currently plays with different orchestras in the Northeast region, including Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Lancaster Symphony, Philly Pops, Great Falls Philharmonic as well as various chamber music ensembles and other musical productions. Martinez has made appearances at a variety of venues including the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and NPR’s Tiny Desk.

Additionally, he has given recitals and lectures at the International Society of Bassists 2021 at the University of Michigan, where he presented pieces by Mexican Composers for the double bass. Martinez has been awarded two grants to facilitate his research of more Mexican composers by the University of Maryland M-Cubator grant and USM’s DCUR grant.

Martinez holds a Master of Music in Double Bass Performance from University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Mississippi. His major teachers consist of Anthony Manzo, Nate West, and Marcos Machado. Other mentors also include Rick Barber, Joseph Conyers, Mary Javian, Heather Miller, Thierry Barbe, and Kurt Muroki.

I like working with all variety of students. I believe that anybody can get something meaningful out of music and playing an instrument.

I like to meet the student at their level and help them develop their own musical goals.