Concerts & Events
MANA Quartet Outreach Concerts
MANA Quartet will be visiting Bay Area High Schools and Middles Schools for educational outreaches
Soloist with the Redwood Symphony - Redwood City, CA
Michael performs John William’s ESCAPADES from the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can with the Redwood Symphony
“John Williams needs no introduction as a film composer, but he has also written numerous concert pieces. Escapades straddles both worlds: it is a concert work derived from the score to Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film Catch Me If You Can. Williams described it as an impressionistic memoir of the progressive jazz movement that was popular in the 1960s.”
Soloist with the Santa Cruz Symphony - Santa Cruz, CA
Michael performs John William’s ESCAPADES from the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can with the Santa Cruz Symphony
“John Williams needs no introduction as a film composer, but he has also written numerous concert pieces. Escapades straddles both worlds: it is a concert work derived from the score to Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film Catch Me If You Can. Williams described it as an impressionistic memoir of the progressive jazz movement that was popular in the 1960s.”
Rotunda Concert
The Rotunda Concert is a surround sound / visual experience with world premiere performances of new electro-acoustic music composed by Christopher Luna-Mega and Pablo Furman. The concert will take place in the San José City Hall Rotunda.
MANA Quartet Outreach Concerts
MANA Quartet will be performing outreach concerts and school visits in the Palo Alto School Districts.
Opera Parallèlle "Birds & Balls"
Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera
Composer David T. Little
Librettist Royce Vavrek
Balls
Composer Laura Karpman
Librettist Gail Collins
“Competition abounds in this World Premiere double bill, where comedy takes to the court in a theatrical spectacle culminating in the 1973 ‘Battle of the Sexes!”
April 5-7, 2024
SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium
Residency @ Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Michael will have a residency at the Conservatory of Music in San Juan, Puerto Rico from March 2-4
There will be Masterclasses and a Guest Artist Recital featuring works by Bach, Santos, Hall, Delgado-Grande, Theisen and more!
Soloist with the SJSU Symphonic Band
Michael will appear as guest soloist with the SJSU Symphonic Band performing Astor Piazzolla’s “Invierno Porteño” for Soprano Saxophone and Concert Band!
MANA performs at Music @4 Series
MANA returns to Music @4 in Portola Valley with a program inspired by California landscapes!
Soloist w/ the Echo Chamber Orchestra
The MANA Quartet performs the Phillip Glass Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Daniel Canosa and the Echo Chamber Orchestra
Residency @ The 46th Annual Festival of New American Music - Sacramento, CA
Michael will return to the Festival of New American Music hosted by Sacramento State for an evening concert featuring his Latinx Storytellers Program! Saxophone Masterclass and panel discussion on new music!
Soloist with Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Hernandez will be a featured soloist on J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with the Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Soloist with the Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Hernandez will be featured soloist on J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with the Pacific Chamber Orchestra
Modesto Symphony
Michael joins the Modesto Symphony for their Picnic at the Pops Concert at the Gallo Winery.
CBDA “Super Saturday” Clinic/Masterclass
Diablo Valley College will host the first annual CBDA Super Saturday! High School and Jr. High students from up and down the state of California are invited to attend and get a leg up on their All-State Auditions! Michael will be working with young saxophonists in a masterclass setting to help them prepare their audition excerpts - the day will feature an exploration into other saxophone related topics as well!
Chamber Music Silicon Valley Music Festival
Chamber Music Silicon Valley Music Festival
The Brandenburgs!
Fess Parker Theater at Santa Clara University
BalatonSax 2023 International Saxophone Academy - Balatonfüred, Hungary
Michael will join the faculty of the 7th Annual BalatonSax International Saxophone Academy in Balatonfüred, Hungary.
Spend 6 days in the Hungarian countryside, close to Balaton in the heart of Hungary. Surround yourself by renowned professors and the inherent inspiration of nature. Explore new aspects in saxophone and clarinet playing.
The academy is comprised of master classes, lectures from technique to stage fright, evaluating each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, audiovisual workshops about great artists, about improvisation.
Our goal is to go beyond the normal saxophone and clarinet lessons. We wish to introduce new concepts, and inspire students to find new way in everyday practicing and performing.
We combine serious studies with holiday experience
Summer Winds Chamber Music Institute - San Jose, CA
Michael will join the faculty of the first annual Summer Winds Chamber Music Institute held at San Jose State University.
Saxophonists will enjoy working one on one with Dr. Hernandez in private lessons, masterclasses, chamber music coachings including saxophone quartets, trios, duos, and all participants will take part in the saxophone orchestra culminating in a final concert on Friday.
Soloist with the Golden Gate Park Band - San Francisco, CA
Michael performs Maurice Whitney’s Adagio & Samba with San Francisco’s Historic Golden Gate Park Band for their LGBTQ+ Pride Concert!
Latinx Storytellers @ Gowanda HS - Gowanda, NY
Michael performs a Latinx Storytellers presentation at Gowanda High School.
Soloist with the Gowanda Wind Ensemble - Gowanda, NY
Outreach Residency at Gowanda Central Schools and performance of Arturo Marquez’s Danzón No. 6 with Wind Ensemble.
Downtown Soundscapes -San Jose, CA
Head to downtown San Jose at the Paseo de San Antonio outside of the Hammer Theater to take part in an immersive musical experience with Electroacoustic soundscapes captured in and around our urban environment! Led by composer, Christopher Luna-Mega featuring:
Michael Hernandez - soprano saxophone
Ray Furuta - flute
Brian Ciach - live electronics
Thomas Langan - double bass
After Everything New Music Collective
After a storm so violent it kills the world and frightens the gods, Utnapishtim sees what remains. Everything he sees is a new and empty world that Gerard Grisey attempts to realize in his piece Four Songs To Cross the Threshold.
After Everything presents a concert which explores the themes of death and transition in this piece and others in the program. Death from a place of anxiety, a place of love, and a place of sympathy; from the deeply personal death of a friend, to the powerful loss of an influential but unknown figure, to the tragic, long-terms disappearances and deaths of civilizations, languages, and worlds
North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference
Michael will perform new works from his Latinx Storytellers program.
Latinx Storytellers @ George Mason University - Fairfax, VA
Michael Hernandez and Liz Ames presents two new works from the Latinx Storytellers program at the INTERNATIONAL SAXOPHONE SYMPOSIUM hosted by the United States Navy Band.
Program to include:
“Before you Run” - Caitlin Santos
“…And the pleasure blooms to die” -Juan Sebastian Cardona Ospina
Latinx Storytellers @ UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
Michael will present Latinx Storytellers, a program featuring new works inspired by Latinx authors and stories composed by Latinx composers. Featuring the works of Caitlin Santos, Patricia Martinez, Juan Sebastian Cardona-Ospina, Jared Isaac Aragon and more!
“Winter’s Gifts : Peace” - The San Jose Chamber Orchestra
The San Jose Chamber Orchestra’s annual Holiday collaboration with The Choral Project.
“Winter’s Gifts: Peace” - The San Jose Chamber Orchestra
The San Jose Chamber Orchestra’s annual Holiday collaboration with The Choral Project.
Noontime Concerts SF
The MANA Quartet returns to San Francisco’s Noontime Concerts in Chinatown’s historic Old Saint Mary’s church. Works by Villalta, Mellits, Singelee, and J.S. Bach will be performed.
San Jose Contemporary Music Festival featuring the Chamber Music of Chen-Yi
Prolific Chinese-American composer Chen-Yi will be the composer-in-residence at the 2022 San Jose Contemporary Music Festival from October 18-20.
Join Michael as he performs Chen-Yi’s Monologue for solo soprano saxophone and other works on this concert that will celebrate the Chamber Music of this extraordinary composer!
Ba Yin for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble
The MANA Quartet will perform Chen Yi’s Ba Yin (The Eight Sounds), a concerto for saxophone quartet and Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. David Vickerman at San Jose State University during Chen Yi’s residency at the 2022 Contemporary Music Festival.
Saxophone with Voices
Michael performs a concert with the San Jose State University Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Corie Brown.
Works by Ola Gjeilo and Pierre de la Rue