Wenbo Yin

Artist Faculty

Saxophonist Dr. Wenbo Yin takes a bold approach in his music making. He is skillful in conveying diverse genres of music, including classical, jazz, contemporary, pop, and beatbox saxophone. Inspired to fully unveil the beauty and mystery of the saxophone, Yin pursued his DMA in Saxophone Performance, Wind Conducting, and Jazz at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). 

As a classical and jazz saxophonist, Yin’s performances range from being a soloist at Carnegie Hall, ensemble player at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, first alto sax in the CCM Jazz Lab Band and the Wind Orchestra, to concerts with jazz artists such as GRAMMY® award winner Charles (Chip) McNeill, and world-class trombone soloist John Fedchock. As a chamber musician, he has worked with virtuoso artists and groups such as James Tocco, The United States Air Force Band Wind Quintet, Dr. Terrence Milligan, Dr. Stephen Peterson, and Ray Cramer. As a conductor, his conducting repertoire includes works by Mozart, Stravinsky, Percy Grainger, Frank Ticheli, Roberto Molinelli and performed by chamber orchestras and saxophone ensembles. 

Yin has also appeared as a performer in North American Saxophone Alliance conferences, the Midwest Composers Symposium, and the International Saxophone Symposium, hosted by the United States Navy Band. He premiered works such as Even William’s operatic/film/electroacoustic pieces and Quartet for Saxophone by Brian Raphael Nabors, whose works have been featured in major symphonies and music festivals worldwide. 

Yin’s debut album, Reflection, was released in December, 2022, and features “Kalyanamitra”, an original electronic smooth jazz composition; Chaconne in G Minor from the Baroque period by Tomaso Vitali; the Romantic transcriptions of violin virtuoso Pagnini’s Caprice no. 24; contemporary saxophone solo composition “Bab Boujloud”; the saxophone premiere of the choral piece “If Tomorrow Is the Next Life”; and two covers of folk and cinematic music. 

As a teacher, Dr. Yin served as a saxophone faculty and lecturer at the CCM Preparatory Department, woodwind specialist at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Marching Band, and assistant director of the UC Jazz Band. He is also a member of the Music Teachers’ Association of California. Yin’s mentors include Dr. James Bunte, Rick VanMatre, Craig Bailey, Dr. Scott Bleck, Bill Tiberio, and Dr. Steven Mauk.