Malte Dürrschnabel

With a network of Artist Centres and Ateliers around the world, Yamaha works with leading players to support their performances and develop instrument designs and new ideas for the benefit of all musicians. Yamaha Artists share with us a passion for inspiring the next generation of players, and a belief that everybody should be encouraged to nurture their talent, connect with others and tell their stories through music.

Get to know saxophone player and Yamaha Artist Malte Dürrschnabel


A sentence that sums up your relationship with Yamaha and your Yamaha instrument:

I love my Yamaha instruments because their reliability and flexibility make them indispensable. Every day I'm impressed by the skill and attention to detail of the engineers who produced them.

How does your instrument help you in your daily life as an artist? 

I'm a multi-reed instrumentalist so I rely on well-designed instruments that can function reliably, particularly in terms of their responsiveness and intonation. I love the clarity of tone, design and ergonomics of my Yamaha instruments — these features support me wherever it is that I play music.

How would you characterise your instrument?

Pure, clear, flexible and adaptable tone, without unnecessary frills

Who was your most influential teacher and is there any advice which you still follow?

I would give this award to John Ruocco… although all my teachers have influenced me. Here's a piece of advice that I still follow: Practise!