Born in Moncofa (Castellón, Spain) into a family of musical tradition, Venancio Rius-Martí began his musical studies with his grandfather, the maestro Eugenio Martí. He graduated with honors from the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music in 1987.

Mr. Rius-Martí gained the Advanced Studies Certificate at the University of Southern California where he studied with Yehuda Gilad, with whom he still maintains a close relationship. He has attended master classes with Mitchell Lurie and Michele Zukovsky.

He was the winner in the 1995 INAEM National Music Institute Competition, 1995 and 1996 Valencia Cultural Council Competition, and the 1995 USC Concerto Competition. He was also a recipient of the Gordon & Lillian Hardy Award, Bruce Zalkind Memorial Prize, Valencia Conservatory of Music Honor Prize, and a finalist of the Buffet North American Clarinet Competition.

He has performed in the United States, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. He has played with pianists such as Oscar Tarragó, Nuria Tena, Robert Thies and Pilar Valero, with soloists such as the soprano Yang-Hi Kim and the violinist Georgy Valtchev, and under the batons of Eiji Oue, Franz Welser-Möst, Yehuda Gilad, James Conlon, Carl St. Clair, Murry Sidlin and Ole Kristian Ruud. In 1997 he played with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, in 1998 with Philharmonie der Nationen, and since 2002 he has been principal clarinet of the City of Ibiza Symphony Orchestra.

In 1996, Mr. Rius-Martí made his New York debut at the LeFrak Recital Hall, performing the world premiere of Momentum, dedicated to him by Martín Kutnowski. With the Aspen Ensemble, he performed the chamber version world premiere of the opera The Tender Land, by Aaron Copland. He also has played premiers of Frederick Lesemann, Frank Ticheli, Adolfo Villalonga and Juan Pons.

Mr. Rius-Martí was professor of the Valencia, Murcia, La Vall d’Uixó, Líria and Ibiza Conservatories. He was the assistant professor of Yehuda Gilad at the 2004 Benidorm International Music Course, professor of the 7th Lisbon International Clarinet Meeting and the guest artist presented by The Cervantes Institute. He has presented master classes in Spain, Portugal, and the United States, including the CUNY Aaron Copland School of Music, Valencia Jose Iturbi Conservatory, the USC Thornton School of Music and The Colburn School of Performing Arts, where he performed a recital at Herbert Zipper Concert Hall.

His teaching has produced first prize winners in national and international competitions, including the 2004 Young Concert Artist International Auditions, 2004 Balearic Young Music Competition, 2004 Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition, American Youth Symphony Auditions and the 2004 Philadelphia Astral Artistic Services.

Since October 2005 he is professor tutor of clarinet of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and in January 2006 he will be invited as Yehuda Gilad’s substitute professor at the Thornton School of Music - University of Southern California.