Described as “a musician of the highest order” by Stockton Symphony conductor Peter Jaffe, saxophonist János Csontos is a soloist, and chamber musician dedicated to the performance of contemporary repertoire. To date, he has premiered over 120 new works for saxophone as a chamber musician and a soloist.

János holds the baritone saxophone chair and is proud to be a founding member of ~Nois, a Chicago-based saxophone quartet dedicated to the performance and commissioning of contemporary music. Over the past eight years, the organization has premiered more than 110 new works for saxophone quartet, performed over 170 concerts in 28 states, and provided educational programming at over 60 institutions including the University of Chicago, University of Colorado Boulder, Princeton University, and Northwestern University. Among these engagements have included invitations to perform at some of the top festivals and concert series in the nation, including Big Ears, LONG PLAY, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Princeton Sound Kitchen, and the University of Chicago Presents Series. The ensemble boasts an extensive recorded output with three full albums, seven singles, and guest appearances on recordings by Vines, Kari Watson, and Osnat Netzer. Additionally, ~Nois has also received top prizes at prestigious chamber music competitions including the M PRIZE Chamber Arts Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

János made his solo debut in 2015 as the Grand Prize winner of the Auburn Symphony Young Artist Competition, performing twice as a concerto soloist with the Auburn Symphony. He is also a winner of University of the Pacific’s Concerto Aria Competition, and was invited to perform as a soloist with the university’s Symphony Orchestra. János has presented solo performances on concert series at University of the Pacific, Northwestern University, and Pioneer United Methodist Church.

János currently holds a bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance from University of the Pacific and a master's degree in saxophone performance from Northwestern University. His past teachers include Taimur Sullivan, David Henderson, and Zachary Shemon. János is a 2018 Eighth Blackbird Creative Lab Fellow and is a member of multiple professional music organizations and honors societies, including Mu Phi Epsilon, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Kappa Phi.