Winner of the 2019 New Music USA Project Grant, and 2020-2021 McKnight Fellow, José A. Zayas Cabán has presented performances and taught master classes throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and North America. He is a 2023 Grammy nominated artist for Best Instrumental Composition, for his composition El País Invisible.
A native Puerto Rican (born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico) and musician activist, José now resides in Minneapolis, MN and is building an artistic career focused on developing projects, albums, and collaborations that address, respond, and raise awareness about current events and social issues.
José is the co-founder of the Chamber Music Trio {Trés},which was started as a collaborative project by José and Colin Young with the purpose of creating transcriptions and commissioning new works for a two saxophone and piano ensemble to perform. The trio has since performed chamber music by a wide range of composers in Central America, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States.
Earning his Doctorate at the University of Iowa, José served as a Teaching Assistant there in both the Saxophone and Music Theory areas. José also served as Instructor of Music Theory and Aural Skills at Columbia College in Columbia, MO, and Assistant Professor of Music at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, where he taught Saxophone, Music Theory, and Aural Skills. José is a D’Addario, LefreQue and Yamaha Artist.