Violinist and violist Jose Leonardi Reyes-Velez, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has served as a violinist and violist in different orchestras such as The Akron Symphony, Akron Baroque, Cleveland Opera Circle, Tuscarawas Philharmonic, Warren Philharmonic, Puerto Rico Symphony and Puerto Rico Philharmonic orchestras, among others.
     Jose is the Second Prize Winner at the 2006 Tuesday Musical Competition in Ohio, First Prize Winner at The University of Akron Concerto Competition 2006; First Prize Winner at the Puerto Rico Conservatory Concerto Competition 2003, and awarded several other prizes in other competitions besides being awarded Outstanding Graduate Student in Strings 2006 and 2007, at the University of Akron, Ohio.
     Mr. Reyes gave his solo debut with the Puerto Rico Conservatory and The Puerto Rico Symphony orchestras in 2003, performing Camille Saint-Saens Havanaise Op.83. During 2006-07 he performed Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane for Violin and Orchestra as well as Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.4 with The University of Akron Symphony Orchestra.

    Jose performed in masterclasses for Axel Strauss, Elmar Oliveira, Linda Sinanian, among others. Summer festivals he has attended include FOSJA (Puerto Rico), Stony Brook (NY), Academie Musicale Internationale “Barbara Krakauer” (France) and Meadowmount (NY). In 2005 he was chosen to represent his native Country, Puerto Rico, to be part of the Latin America Youth Orchestra in Venezuela under the baton of the great Claudio Abbado.
     Jose earned his Bachelors of Music Performance degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory where he studied with Dr. Francisco Caban, Dara Morales and Henry Hutchinson. He also holds a Masters degree in Music Performance from The University of Akron in Ohio, where he studied violin and viola with Prof. Alan Bodman.
Jose is pursuing his DMA degree at The University of Arizona with Prof. Mark Rush under a Rogers Orchestral Assistantship where he serves as the Concertmaster; he is also a faculty member of the Music and Dance Academy of Tucson, teaching the Suzuki Method and a sub for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra; member of the Tucson Chamber Orchestra, Arizona Ballet, Arizona Opera and violist of the Canyon String Quartet.