For Peruvian Musical Prodigy Claudia Medina, the Road to Success Started with a Life-Altering Advice
- Ted Reyes
- Mar 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 21
APM Indie Artists Live Women’s History Month 2025 Edition
In 2007, thirteen-year-old aspiring saxophone player Claudia Medina attended the XVII Jazz Festival in her home city of Lima Peru, which featured American saxophone great Cynthia Mullis and the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra.
As soon as the first note arose from Cynthia’s horn, Claudia knew that her life was never going to be the same. “That’s what I want to do in my life,” she said to herself.
After the show, she mustered enough willpower to approach Cynthia and told her how much she adored her performance and asked for her advice on how to be a great musician like her. Cynthia looked at the teenager and said something that completely changed her life: “Keep playing and never give up.”
So, Claudia kept blowing that horn and hasn’t stopped since.
Now, she is a distinguished Peruvian saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator who has garnered international acclaim for her innovative fusion of Jazz with Afro-Peruvian and Latin American rhythms. Her musical journey, marked by a deep commitment to cultural preservation and education, has positioned her as a prominent figure in contemporary Latin Jazz.
Her formal education includes classical studies at the National Conservatory of Peru and a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she majored in jazz composition and performance.
Watch Claudia Medina and her band’s exclusive performance of her track “Boda en Santo Domingo Live at the APM Music Headquarters in Los Angeles.
Throughout her career, Medina has shown remarkable versatility, performing in many countries, including the United States, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. She has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Grammy Award winners Susana Baca and Eva Ayllón, further enriching her musical repertoire. In 2016, she founded Claudia Medina’s Peruvian Project, a group dedicated to blending jazz with Peruvian and Afro-Peruvian music, which has performed to sold-out audiences in multiple countries.
Beyond her work as a performer, Medina is a passionate educator and cultural ambassador. She established the “From Perú to the World” educational program, which aims to promote and give Peruvian music globally. Her contributions have been recognized with many accolades, including the Inspirational Woman Award for Outstanding Artists from Latina Center MARIA and the TUMI USA Award in the arts category.
Claudia is releasing a traditional Bachata album under John Fulford’s World Pop (WPOP) label and will be available for licensing through APM Music.
Learn more about Claudia’s inspiring story in the latest episode of our Sound Screen Podcast hosted by Annika Dietiker.
Listen Now!
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