Christian Valdés
Latin Grammy–nominated pianist & arranger — jazz, salsa, and Latin jazz
Noted Sound is run by Christian Valdés, a highly experienced salsa and jazz pianist and arranger based in Manhattan, and a Latin Grammy nominee, currently a DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) candidate in Jazz Piano Performance at New York University. His arranging credit on Diego El Cigala's Obras Maestras earned a 2024 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, and he's a nine-time DownBeat Award recipient and a 2026 finalist at the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. He performs across jazz, Latin jazz, salsa, and most Latin styles, and adapts and engraves every chart himself, by ear, at the piano — so the notation reflects exactly how the band plays it: the phrasing, the voicings, the rhythmic feel.
Highlights
- Latin Grammy–nominated arranger — Diego El Cigala's Obras Maestras, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, 25th Annual Latin GRAMMY (2024)
- 2026 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition Finalist
- Nine-time DownBeat Award recipient
- Highly experienced salsa and jazz pianist and performer
- Performed and recorded with Ricky Martin, Arturo Sandoval, Diego El Cigala, Néstor Torres, Luis Conte, and Karen Briggs, among others
Education
- Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), Jazz Piano Performance — New York University (2024–present)
- Master's Degree, Jazz Studies, Piano Performance — University of Texas at Arlington (2017–2019)
- Bachelor's Degree, Jazz Studies, Piano Performance — University of North Texas (2011–2016)
Teaching & direction
- Adjunct Music Instructor — New York University (2024–present)
- Adjunct Faculty, Jazz Department — University of Texas at Arlington (2020–2024); brought the department's first-ever DownBeat Award (Best Latin Group) leading its Latin jazz ensemble
- Manager, Musical Director & Pianist — Fusion Latina Music, Dallas–Fort Worth (2018–present); directs a 12-piece live orchestra and arranges its book
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese.
Why Noted Sound
Noted Sound is built for bands and students who need a chart they can actually rehearse from, not just a lead sheet — hand-engraved by a working performer who plays this repertoire himself, priced for real working musicians, and turned around in days, not weeks.