Raul Cordies is a Cuban-born saxophonist, educator, and founder whose musical career spans classical, jazz, chamber music, and arts education. Born in Santiago de Cuba, he began his formal musical training at the Esteban Salas Conservatory of Music, where he developed a strong foundation in saxophone performance. He continued his professional studies at the Professional School of Music in Camagüey, Cuba, actively performing in numerous jazz festivals as a member of a saxophone quartet. These early performance experiences played a key role in shaping his artistic voice and expanding his presence within Cuba’s jazz and classical music scenes. Dedicated to lifelong learning, he pursued further classical saxophone studies at the prestigious Higher Institute of Arts (ISA) in Havana, Cuba. In 2008, he co-founded the Latin Sax Quartet alongside former music school colleagues, with the encouragement of legendary classical clarinetist, Latin jazz saxophonist, composer, and 13-time Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera. The ensemble has performed at notable venues and institutions such as the Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York, Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center, Hudson Theatre (NYC), Salem State University, and the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Beyond his work as a saxophonist, Mr. Cordies has also developed as a pianist, his second instrument. He has collaborated in ballet classes and classical performances at the Princeton Ballet School and other respected artistic institutions, reflecting his versatility and commitment to interdisciplinary artistic work.