I started playing piano at the age of seven and percussion at sixteen. I studied both disciplines for some time but, once I gained my BMus in Piano, Percussion became my main interest.
I got a Bmus in Percussion at the Oviedo Conservatory of Music under Rafael Casanova (OSPA) with the highest marks (“Angel Muñiz Toca” Award and “Extraordinary Prize” Award). I also gained a Bmus in Solfege, Sight Reading and Transposition and was trained also in Chamber Music, Music Theory and Counterpoint.
For the next two years I attended the Madrid based “Centro de Estudios Neopercusión”, where I studied with Juanjo Guillem (ONE), Enric Llopis (ORTVE), Francisco Diaz (OST), Juanjo Rubio (OCM), Oscar Benet (OCM), Belen López, David Mayoral and Serguei Sapricheff.
Then I moved to London, where I studied at The Royal Academy of Music with Andrew Barclay (LPO), Simon Carrington (LPO), Leigh Howard Stevens, Nicholas Cole (RPO), Dave Hassell, Paul Clarvis, Neil Percy (LSO) and Kurt Hans Goedicke (LSO). There I gained my Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Timpani and Percussion) and LRAM. I also studied Jazz with Trevor Tompkins, Orchestral Conducting with Denise Ham and Choral Conducting with Patrick Russil
I have attended many coursesand master classes by renowned musicians: Jeff Prentice, Rainer Seegers, Benoit Cambrelaing, Davi Searcy, Ben Hoffnung, Philippe Spiecer, Enmanuel Sejourné, Keiko Abe, Eric Sammut, She-e Wu, Joe Locke, Anthony Kerr, Dave Jackson, Makoto Aruga, Chris Lamb, COllin Curie, Evelyn Glennie, Mircea Anderleanu, Steven Shick, Joh Bergamo, Airto Moreira, Birger Sulsbruck, Peter Erskine, Dave Weckl, Bill Cobham, Carlos Carli, George Hurst, Arturo Tamayo, Collin Meters, José María Benavente, Román Alís, Fernando Puchol, Michel Martín, Javier Cámara and Francisco José Cuadrado. From them I have learned Percussion, Timpani, Piano, Contemporary and Modal Harmony, Jazz, Conducting, Music Production, Recording, Editing and Microphone Techniques.
I was awarded the “Principality of Asturias Government Scholarship” three times in a row to pursue my studies in Madrid and London. I was finalist at the “International Keyboard Percussion Competition” sponsored by the “Yamaha Foundation of Europe” and Iwas runner-up for the “Deutsche Bank Pyramid Awards”, given to innovative performance and composition projects.
I have played with the following orchestras: Gijón Symphony Orchestra (Spain), Principality of Asturias Symphony Orchestra (Spain), Oviedo Filarmonía (Spain), Asturias Classical Orchestra (Spain), Spanish National Orchestra (Spain), Catalonian Chamber Orchestra (Spain), Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra (Spain), Orchestra of the University of Oviedo (Spain), City of Avilés Symphony Orchestra (Spain), Extremadura Symphony Orchestra (Spain), Moscow Virtuosi (Russia), Concerto München Sinfonieorchester (Germany), WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln (Germany), Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland), Orquestra do Norte (Portugal) and the Ulster Orchestra (UK).
I have also played with early music ensembles (Forma Antiqva, Memoria de los Sentidos, Sphera Antiqva and Ensemble Matheus) and chamber groups (RAM Percussion Group, Neopercusión and Ars Mundi Ensemble).
I am the founding member of “Les Musicienes Domestiques”.
I have translated into Spanish “Method of Movement for Marimba” (L. H. Stevens). I am, also, the Spanish translator of PERCUSSION ORCHESTRATIONS.
I have been a member of the Percussion Department at the Gijón and Oviedo Conservatories of Music.
I work in the studio as a session musician, arranger and on-line instrumentalist as the result of my interest in recording, sound and technology.
I own a recording studio and a company: “Cowhouse Productions”.
I am a member of the PAS Symphonic Committee and I proudly endorse Grover Pro Percussion products.
David Valdés is a Grover Pro Artist