Irene FERNANDEZ MENA

Since a very young age, Irene Fernandez Mena has lived to the rhythm of music.

She began her musical studies at the age of five, taking lessons in piano, music theory, rhythm, and intonation, before turning to the saxophone, which became her instrument of choice.

Originally from Arjona (province of Jaén), Irene pursued her training at the professional conservatories of Córdoba and Jaén, completing her studies at the Rafael Orozco Higher Conservatory of Music (Córdoba) under the guidance of professors Bernardo Zagalaz and Manuel Ureña.

In 2010, she graduated with Matrícula de Honor and the Special Graduation Award.

Training and Masterclasses

To further enrich her playing, Irene Fernandez Mena attended numerous masterclasses with internationally renowned saxophonists:

Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle, Jean-Denis Michat, Nikita Zimin, Nobuya Sugawa, Jean-Yves Fourmeau, Gilles Tressos, Philippe Braquart, Masataka Hirano, Fabrizio Mancuso, Christian Wirth, Alexander Doisy, and Philippe Lecocq.

She has won several prestigious competitions, including the International Competition of Huelma, where she also received a special jury mention.

Academic Career and Research

In 2011, Irene completed a Master’s in Music Pedagogy at the University of Córdoba, followed in 2012 by a Master’s in Musical Heritage at the University of Granada and the International University of Andalusia (UNIA).

Her research on Flamenco jazz applied to the saxophone received the highest marks and led her to:

➤ Deliver university lectures (University of Plasencia, UNED)

 
➤ Participate in research seminars

 
➤ Publish articles in specialized journals such as Resonancias and the Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies

Professional Career

In 2012, she joined the Banda Municipal de Jaén as principal baritone saxophonist.

The following year, she became a saxophone professor at the Professional Conservatory of Music “García Matos” (Plasencia), while also teaching at municipal music schools and universities (University of Cáceres).

During her time in Extremadura, Irene performed in prestigious venues:

➤ Gran Teatro de Cáceres

 
➤ Teatro de Mérida

 
➤ Concatedral Santa María (Cáceres)

 
➤ Auditorio San Francisco

 
➤ Museo Etnográfico Pérez Enciso

She notably performed saxophone concertos by Ronald Binge, Karel Husa, and the famous Czardas by Iturralde, and created her multidisciplinary show “Los Sonidos Ancestrales”, combining saxophone, lighting, and musical synesthesia.

Chamber Music and Artistic Projects

A passionate advocate of chamber music, Irene has developed several artistic projects:

➤ Saxophone-guitar duo with Isabel Alcántara and later Carlos Almoril, exploring works by Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos, Bartók, Piazzolla, and Pujol

 
➤ Saxophone-piano duo with María Isabel Rueda, Beatriz González, Lucía Moreno, and Pilar Osado

 
➤ Member of the National Ensemble Músax, composed of nine female saxophonists, performing throughout Spain

She is regularly invited to give masterclasses and lectures at prestigious conservatories:

➤ Cristóbal de Morales Conservatory (Seville)

 
➤ Carlos Ros Conservatory (Guadix)

 
➤ Curso Internacional Esteban Sánchez

Current Status

Since 2018, Irene Fernandez Mena has held the position of tenured saxophone professor after passing the Spanish national competition.

She currently teaches at the Rafael Orozco Higher Conservatory (Córdoba) and the Manuel Castillo Higher Conservatory (Seville).