Director of Music

Patrick Ware-Medina grew up in Spokane, Washington where he started playing saxophone at the age of 8. By high school, Patrick was performing professionally throughout the Pacific Northwest and further expanded his creative outlets by picking up the piano, flute, clarinet, and percussion. It was also at this time that he began studying at Cornish College of the Arts with the great Hadley Caliman, former tenor saxophonist with Freddie Hubbard’s band and Carlos Santana. 

In his senior year of high school, he was awarded the highest possible Berklee Entering Student Talent scholarship where the began his collegiate studies the following year. At Berklee Patrick had the honor to study and perform with some of the greatest names in jazz including Joe Lovano, Hal Crook, Greg Osby, Bill Pierce, and George Garzone. In his four years at Berklee, Patrick was awarded additional scholarships including the Berklee Achievement Scholarship, Woodwind Achievement Award, and his department's highest accolade the Charlie Parker Scholarship. Based on a referral by his saxophone mentor George Garzone, Patrick received a scholarship to pursue a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from New York University where he formed close bonds with Grammy Winner Brian Lynch and Saxophonist Lenny Pickett (Tower of Power and band-leader of NBC’s Saturday Night Live) and where he was later hired as adjunct faculty. 

Over the past two decades, Patrick has shared the stage and recorded with Grammy Award Winners Daniel Platzman (Imagine Dragons), Ted Nash (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Brian Lynch (Art Blakey/Gloria Estephan), Ernie Watts (the Rolling Stones), and Eddie Palmieri; as well as members of the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, Wayne Krantz, and Kenny Werner. 

In September, 2015 Patrick relocated to Denver, Colorado where he is continuing his career as both a performer and educator. He can be seen performing at Dazzle and was the featured soloist for Kantorei’s 20th anniversary concert series. His student’s are regular members of All County and Colorado All State bands and have gone on to study at some of the top colleges across the country.