About Jose Alvarez-Manilla Sanchez

Jose Alvarez-Manilla grew up in a lively, musical household where Latin, Classical, Jazz, and many more styles captivated his heart and fueled his passion for music. At age 6, Jose moved from Mexico to the U.S. and started his musical education. As a multi-talented musician, Jose’s main instrument is the clarinet, but he is also a well versed pianist, drummer, and composer.  He has performed in many ensembles including orchestras, symphonic bands, chamber ensembles, jazz bands, and rock bands. Jose graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelors in Music Performance. 

At VCU, he earned the position of first chair clarinet in the VCU symphonic wind ensemble for the Fall of 2019, and Fall of 2020 through Spring of 2021. Jose’s musical passion also extends to composition, having written colorful scores for a variety of projects including video games, animations, and theater productions. 

Jose is as expressive and passionate in teaching as he is in performing. Jose encourages strong fundamentals to his students driven by creativity, exploration, and individual interest. He believes that exploring music can provide students with the tools to learn effectively, and be lifelong learners. As a native speaker of English and Spanish, he believes in breaking down language barriers and using his strong communication skills to help communities in need. Jose continues to perform, teach, and compose music after obtaining his undergraduate degree in the Spring of 2021.