Orlando Salazar is a Venezuelan oboist and educator, born in 1995 in Porlamar. He began his musical journey at age 10 with El Sistema in Caracas, initially training in choir and music theory. He started playing the oboe at age 12 and was accepted to the Simón Bolívar National Conservatory at 15, studying under Ricardo Riveiro, principal oboist of the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. During his time at the conservatory, Orlando played principal and second oboe in several youth orchestras, including the Francisco de Miranda Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Orchestra of Caracas. In 2016, he joined the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra as second oboist, touring internationally across Europe, the Americas, and Latin America, performing in renowned venues like La Scala in Milan and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Orlando later served as Solo English Horn with the Santa Fe and Entre Ríos Symphony Orchestra in Argentina (2018–2021).
He holds both an undergraduate and master’s degree in oboe performance from the Longy School of Music, where he received a full scholarship and multiple honors. A dedicated educator, Orlando has taught since age 14, sharing his expertise in El Sistema and participating in international masterclasses. He currently performs across the U.S. with various ensembles including The Orchestra San Antonio in Texas.
