Santo Villatoro is a Salvadoran multi-instrumentalist with a passion for orchestral playing. He began his musical journey as a flute player in middle school band, which eventually led him to branch out into  piccolo, saxophone, clarinet, and eventually oboe. Santo played in various ensembles including jazz bands to pit orchestras around Long Island, he was inspired to become a woodwind doubler. In the middle of his junior year of high school, Santo discovered the oboe and found a deep passionate connection with the music he was making. The oboe and english horn was his true outlet of emotional expression and felt that he could connect to his audience in ways he couldn’t before. The emotions and the passionate lyricism of oboe playing truly resonated with Santo and drove him to pursue the art of oboe playing professionally.

Currently, Santo is an Oboist and English Hornist studying at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University. In addition with his studies, he also is involved as an instructor for flute, oboe, clarinet, and saxophone with the El Sistema program, “OrchKids”, located in Baltimore. He is also involved in various departments at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra including personnel, education, Side by Side Academy, and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra. Outside of these pursuits, Santo is active in local ensembles such as the Columbia Orchestra, Hunt Valley Wind Ensemble, and other various groups in the Metropolitan area. Santo continues to explore all sorts of music to deepen his passion for the art and enjoys playing musicals, operas, jazz, contemporary, and orchestral music. 

As someone who is from Hispanic Origin, Santo hopes to share his love of music and human connection to other members of the community. He hopes to represent those who have not been seen onto the stage and showcase music that has been overlooked or ignored by the orchestral/instrumental community. Being part of OrchKids and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, Santo wants to inspire the up and coming generation of musicians. Santo believes in programming more music by Latin and BIPOC composers in his own work and bringing it forth onto the grand stage. By doing so, not only can we represent and acknowledge those waiting to be seen but also inspire others to engage and bring forth change within our many communities, if not society as a whole.