Dr. Santiago Salazar Simmonds is a Colombian violinist, educator, and arts administrator whose career spans performance, teaching, and artistic leadership across the Americas and Europe. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance from the University of Kansas.

As an orchestral musician, Santiago has performed with ensembles including the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia on international tours, The World Orchestra, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, Houston Symphony, Las Cruces Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Topeka Symphony, and the Snow Pond Chamber Players Orchestra. He has frequently served in leadership roles, holding concertmaster and principal positions with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra, Missouri State University Philharmonic, New Mexico State Philharmonic, and in various orchestras at international festivals.

An experienced teacher, Santiago has taught at Missouri State University, the University of Kansas, the New England Music Festival at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, the Collaborative Piano–Strings Institute at Louisiana State University, and the Classic Music Institute in San Antonio. His students have gone on to receive awards in competitions, a reflection of his commitment to fostering both artistry and discipline in young musicians.

His performance career includes recordings with the Urtext label alongside violinist Andrés Cárdenes and conductor Simón Gollo, as well as with the University of Kansas on the album Prairie Fire. His playing has been featured on NPR’s From the Top, and he has performed under distinguished conductors such as Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Carlos Miguel Prieto. He has also taken part in lessons and masterclasses with leading violinists including Leon Spierer, Dmitri Berlinsky, Rachel Barton Pine, and Francesco Manara.

Santiago’s artistry has been recognized through numerous awards, including first prize at the Luis Ángel Arango Library Young Artists Competition in Bogotá, recognition as one of the Jóvenes Talentos de Colombia at the Cartagena International Music Festival, a special laureate appearance at the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation Festival in Moscow, and top prizes at MTNA competitions.

Through his work as performer, teacher, and administrator, Santiago continues to build musical connections across borders and inspire the next generation of artists.

Dr. Santiago currently serves as a violin faculty member at Prime Music Institute.